The Landless Lord
by xMorbidxAngelx
Summary: He is a Lord without any land to claim his own, but what happens when a Lady troubled by her past comes to his rescue?
1. Chapter 1

War had torn the lands apart and destroyed the once proud monarchy that had ruled over what used to be a beautiful country. Enemies of the Lord of the Lands had moved in the moment he was forced to surrender and threw the Lord and his family into the waiting hands of the slave traders. The family were dragged from town to town with the rest of the slaves as they awaited their fate until one by one they were bought an only the eldest son remained. It had been nearly two months since he and his family had been left at the mercy of the slave master and it had been weeks since he had seen his family, but he held no hopes of ever seeing them again. Now, the once proud aristocrat knelt in a dusty town square in a part of a country he couldn't remember ever visiting. His clothes were dusty, torn and blood stained and his hands and feet were bound with a coarse rope that bit into his flesh, causing rivulets of blood to trickle down his fingers into the small puddle that was slowly forming beneath his hands. The long silver hair that had once been the envy of every woman he knew now hung limp and dirty over his shoulders as he sat slouched on his heels.

Crowds of curious city dwellers gathered around as the slave master brought long lines of men, women, and children from the long row of carriages that carried them from place to place. There had been many people approaching the former aristocrat but were soon turning tail and fleeing when he turned his amber gaze to them and gave them a ferocious frown that had struck fear into the hearts of even the strongest of men. Soon the number of people drawn to the silver haired man dwindled and then none approached at all, for fear of what he might do. A few of the town's wealthier folk had approached the slave master, hoping to find yet another servant for their overly large mansions, but they too kept well away from the man after glancing once into his face and finding only murderous intent evident in his molten gold eyes.

As the man watched yet another group of people leave the square, he resisted the urge to sigh and instead cast his eyes down the long row of slaves to where the slave master was animatedly talking with the few people who remained. The man's loud, booming voice and wild gesticulations gave them impression that he was trying very hard to make a sale, but despite his efforts, the last few people turned away and walked out of the square, shaking their heads as they went. The silver haired man realised that the slave master had been trying to sell off the few children he had picked up along the way and he couldn't help but pity the children as he wondered what their fate and his own would be. Would he simply be dragged from one town to another until someone was brave enough to buy him? Or would the salve master grow tired of his unsociable ways and leave him to die somewhere? Neither of the options were particularly pleasing, but he supposed that since he no longer had a place to call home and his family had been sold off as slaves, he had little left to live for so death would probably be the most welcome option available to him at present.

Just as the man predicted, the slave master had pushed him into the carriage along with everyone else at the end of the day and started off for the next town in hope of a sale. The journey started with the smaller towns along the trade routes and then the master gave up on small town folk and made his way towards the larger cities near the coast. However, as the group reached one of the smaller cities on the coast, the silver haired man's fate was decided. The usual gaggle of potential buyers had gathered around the slaves despite the sky above them that threatened rain how the cold wind blew in from the sea. As was the norm, many people approached the former aristocrat throughout the day only to be scared away by his expressions and it wasn't until the end of the day that there was any sign of a sale. The slave master sighed as he sank down on the steps of one of the carriages behind the slaves and rubbed his forehead tiredly, ignoring the slaves who now sat out in the cold as the rain started falling form the heavens as though it was weeping for the unfortunate people left to face the elements. Few people walked the streets now and those that did hurried by without a second glance at the long lines of slaves kneeling in the puddles that were slowly forming in the cobbled square.

Cursing to himself, the slave master was about to give the order to start packing up for the next city when a carriage that clearly belonged to someone wealthy came to a stop nearby. Everyone, including the mournful looking slaves, looked up to see who the newcomer was and watched in silent amazement as a man jumped down from the front of the carriage and opened the door. A white parasol was put up in the entrance and moments later, a woman in a pale blue dress stepped out of the carriage and took the man's arm as they walked towards the slave master who had instantly leapt to his feet, hoping to make at least one sale before moving on. Droplets of water left trails through the dirt on the silver haired man's skin as he hung his head, knowing that he would not be the one leaving with the pair. It was obvious that this woman was of aristocratic lineage and given that he was a former aristocrat, he was not entirely sure that being chosen by this woman would be much of a blessing so much as it would be a curse. In a moment of morbid thought, he decided that he would rather die of malnutrition or whatever else could kill him while travelling with the other slaves than to suffer humiliation at the feet of another aristocrat.

Keeping his head down, he listened to the voices as they drew closer and closer and vowed that he would give the pair his most ferocious scowl yet to attempt to find a way out of being chosen by them. The voices fell silent and a hush fell over everyone present until only the sound of the shoes on the cobbled street could be heard. As he waited for the inevitable moment when they would stop in front of him, the silver haired man wondered what the fate of the person would be when they left with the pair. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the pair come to a stop in front of him until his chin was roughly forced up by the slave master to look at the pair in front of him. Amber eyes narrowed and a frown crossed his face that was so ferocious that the master drew his hand away hastily for fear that he would be one finger short in a few moments. As the slave master lifted his hand to land a blow on the man's face, the woman stepped forward, her face hidden by her hat. Amber eyes widened imperceptibly when a dainty hand cupped his cheek and caressed it gently, the woman clearly not caring as the dirt from his skin left her pristine white gloves dirty.

"This one," she said quietly, her hand leaving his cheek to brush the few strands of long hair from his face gently.

"Are you sure, ma'am?" the slave master asked doubtfully, rubbing his chin with a thoughtful expression. "This one is bad tempered and I'm sure we could find someone better for you."

"My mistress has decided," the man accompanying the woman said firmly.

The slave master sighed as he watched the pair move back towards the carriage. One the woman was seated inside, her companion returned to where the slave master stood and held out a bag of coins that was clearly more than the master was asking for judging by how wide his eyes grew. Before the money was dropped into his hand, the unknown man waited for the slave master to get the man he had just bought from the long row of slaves. The silver haired man's eyes widened in shock as he felt hands beneath his arms, pulling him roughly to his feet and forcing him to shuffle across the square to the carriage. The men turned back to the driver of the carriage, awaiting instruction on where to put the man when the door opened and the woman gestured towards the seat opposite her. Staring blankly at her for a moment, the men gathered the slave up and pushed him into the seat before closing the door and heading back to finish loading the slaves into the carriages. Within moments, the carriage was moving and trundling out of the square. Blinking in confusion at how fast events had just unfolded, the former aristocrat looked across the carriage to the woman and found her looking out the window as the late afternoon sun began to slip behind the hills and casting the valleys in shadow. Sensing his gaze, she turned to him, her full lips visible beneath the wide brim of the hat as she smiled before turning her gaze back to the scenery outside.

* * *

When the silver haired man opened his eyes, he noticed that he was still in the carriage although it seemed to be slowing down. Curiously, he glanced out the window and saw that darkness had fallen and the route they were taking was lit only by the light of the moon that shone above them. The sound of movement from the other side of the carriage caught his attention and he looked over to the see the woman shift slightly to look at him.

"We will be arriving shortly," she said softly with a soft accent that the man could not place.

Almost as soon as the words were spoken, the carriage came to a halt and the woman's companion jumped down from the front of the carriage and opened the door. There was a pause as the man untied the bonds that bound the former aristocrat's feet before helping him down from the carriage as well as his mistress. The woman looked up at the building and sighed softly before turning to look at her companion.

"Masaru, please take our guest to my room. Draw a bath for him and find some new clothes. When you are done, please prepare the room next door and then keep our guest company. I will join you as soon as I am able," she said softly.

"Mistress…" the man now known as Masaru started, his voice holding some concern.

"Do not fret, Masaru," the woman said gently, patting the older man on the arm.

Without a word, she turned and made her way up the steps to the door, her long skirts held up in a dainty hand. Masaru turned to the younger man and gestured for him to follow as they followed the woman up the stairs to the open door. The bright light was blinding and for a moment, the silver haired man could see nothing, but when his yes accustomed to the brightness, he saw that they stood in an extravagantly decorated hallway. The wooden floor beneath his feet shone so brightly he swore he could see his own reflection and the room was lit by several polished candelabras. The scene reminded him much of a smaller version of the palace he had grown up in and he was so lost in the memories of his former life that he jumped slightly when a tall middle aged man stepped into the room. The man's cold gray eyes fell on the bemused man who stood in the hallway dressed in nothing short of rags for a moment and he looked away, making a soft sound of disgust as he directed his gaze to the woman who stood nearby. She pulled off her coat and handed it to the nearby servant who waited patiently for her to take off her hat. After a moment, she turned around, smoothing her dress as she did so. The tall man bowed slightly and extended an arm towards a corridor to his left.

"Your presence is required," he said in a clipped voice.

"Thank you, Shin," the woman said quietly.

She nodded at Masaru and smiled slightly before following the tall man down the dimly lit corridor and eventually disappearing from sight. Masaru sighed to himself and gestured for the other man to follow as he led the way up the stairs. The silver haired man obediently followed, casting a brief glance over his shoulder to the corridor his 'rescuer' had disappeared down and couldn't shake off an uneasy feeling.

* * *

"You have returned late, Rin," a stern female voice stated as the young woman stepped into the room Shin had shown her.

"I apologise for my tardiness," Rin replied respectfully, bowing slightly to the older woman who sat beside the fire.

"Shin tells me you have a new companion."

"Yes, Aunt Hiroko."

"What need have you for another? You already have a butler do you not?"

"I do, but Masaru is getting old and can no longer do some of his jobs as well as before. I apologise for not consulting your first."

The woman, Hiroko, sighed loudly and raised a hand to rub her eyes as though exasperated by her niece's behaviour. Raising her head, she glared at the younger woman but looked away moments later when Shin approached with a cup of tea for her. Accepting it, she nodded her thanks to her butler and turned her attention back to her niece.

"I will let your behaviour pass this once," Hiroko said sternly, frowning slightly. "However, I will not be responsible for this new companion of yours and it will be up to you to see to this person's needs just as you must do with that Masaru person."

"I understand," Rin replied, nodding gratefully.

"One last thing," the older woman said in a cold voice. "Do not think that you have free reign simply because I am an invalid. This is my house and as easily as I took you in, I can throw you out regardless of the fact that you are my niece, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good. You are dismissed."

* * *

Masaru waited patiently outside the washroom door while the younger man bathed and nodded to him when he returned to the room full dressed in warm, dry, and clean clothes for the first time in several weeks. The former aristocrat allowed himself to be guided to a chair where the older man sat down and started to tend to the wounds he had received over the weeks he had spent bound and at the mercy of the slave master. The door opened while Masaru was in the middle of cleaning the large gash on the man's arm when Rin walked into the room, closing the doors behind her. Both men remained quiet and Masaru sat back on his heels, looking at the young woman thoughtfully before he seemed to make a decision.

"Is there a problem, Mistress Rin?" he asked quietly, frowning slightly as he spoke.

"No, no problems, Masaru," the woman replied vaguely as she sat down in a nearby chair. "Have you made up the room yet?"

"Not yet, Mistress."

"I see. When you are done with your current task, please see to it. I believe our guest will be glad of a bed for the night."

"Indeed, Mistress," Masaru agreed, a slight smile tugging his lips before he finished tending to the silent man's injuries.

Eventually, Masaru finished tending to the silver haired man's injuries after what seemed like an eternity and left him alone with the young woman who had sat quietly in a nearby chair as she watched all the injuries being tended to. When Masaru left, she smiled and sat up straight in her chair, her brown eyes intent on him as he wondered what she was going to do next.

"Might I ask your name?" she asked politely, looking curious as she turned in her seat to look directly at him.

"Sesshoumaru," he replied hesitantly.

"I am Rin." The man nodded but remained silent. "You must have many questions, but as it is growing late and you have yet to eat, I will be brief. If you have any questions, I'm sure Masaru will be delighted to answer them if I am unable to do so."

"Hm."

"It seems that you are not a man of many words," Rin said with a slight smile. "That is probably for the best as you will not find many aside from myself and Masaru to talk to."

There was a pause as Rin looked down at her hands with a slight frown as though she wasn't entirely sure what to say next. Sighing softly, she clasped her hands together on her lap and looked up with a serious expression.

"I will be frank," she said calmly. "I did not buy you from that slave trader for any particular reason other than because I wanted to. However, due to my current circumstances, you will not be allowed to stay here just because I decided to save you from the slave trader. I'm sure you do not wish to return to slavery, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"Then you will remain here, but to do so, you will become my butler."

"What of the other man?"

"Masaru is more of my companion than my butler, but I suppose to a certain extent, he is both. However, he will be more than pleased to hand over most of his responsibilities to you. What say you?"

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly and thought over the proposal. It was true that he did not wish to return to slavery and it was quite likely that he would end up a slave once again if he were allowed to leave this place. He had nowhere to go, slave traders often caught those who wandered aimlessly, and he did not wish to repeat that experience. He had long since come to terms with the idea that he was probably not going to see his family again and therefore, his best option was to remain here, this woman had saved him after all and was offering him somewhere safe to stay – he would be a fool to reject her offer.

"Very well, I accept," he said softly, nodding his approval towards his new mistress.

Rin smiled happily. "I'm glad to hear that. I'm sure you must be very hungry. Masaru has prepared a meal for you, I will summon him and he can take you to your room. It is next door to mine so you will not get lost. Please do not hesitate to ask if there is something you wish to know."


	2. Chapter 2

The sunlight streaming through the windows woke Sesshoumaru the next morning and he groaned softly as he rolled over and slowly opened his eyes. Amber eyes took in his unfamiliar surroundings as his mind recalled the events from the day before that led to him waking up in a soft, warm bed instead of the cold hard floor of a carriage as had become the norm for him over the past few weeks. Sighing softly, Sesshoumaru sat up in bed and shivered slightly when he felt the cool air of the room against his bare torso. With great effort, he left the comfort of his bed and made his way across the room to the washroom. By the time he had returned, Masaru was standing patiently in the room, looking out the window over the green gardens that Sesshoumaru had not seen the day before. The older man turned when he heard the door open and smiled slightly.

"Good morning," Masaru greeted and gestured to a small tray of breakfast on the table beneath the window.

"Good morning," Sesshoumaru replied softly.

"I have brought your uniform which you can change into once you have finished breakfast."

"Uniform?"

"Indeed. If you are to become Mistress Rin's butler then you will need a uniform."

"I see."

"Once you are ready, I will show you the way to the kitchens. Today you may observe what I do and then tomorrow you will take my place," Masaru said with a vague smile.

"I will take over so soon? Do I not require training of some sort?"

"Not particularly. I will watch over you tomorrow. Aside from the morning and evening routines, there is nothing particular that you must do aside from be with Mistress Rin."

Sighing to himself, Sesshoumaru emptied his teacup and picked up the uniform Masaru had placed on his bed and disappeared into the washroom to change. When he returned to the room, his eyes widened as he found Rin sitting sedately on the edge of his bed while Masaru hovered near the door. She looked up when she heard the door open and got to her feet, smoothing her dress as she did so. A smile crossed her face as she saw the uniform that was similar to Masaru's.

"I heard that Masaru would be taking you under his wing today," Rin said with a smile as she looked over her shoulder to the older man.

"This is true," Masaru agreed, smiling slightly in return.

"I'll see you at lunch then," she said with a soft laugh. "Try not to let Shin intimidate him too much."

The two men bowed slightly as Rin left the room with a cheerful smile and a wave. Sesshoumaru turned to look curiously at the older man beside him. Masaru beckoned for the younger man to follow as he picked up the tray and headed out of the room.

"You must be wary of Shin," Masaru said seriously.

"Shin?"

"He is the Lady of the house's butler and he does not take kindly to anyone associated with Mistress Rin."

"The man from last night? The tall one?"

"Indeed. That is of whom I speak. He will most likely attempt to make life difficult for you to get you thrown out of the house."

"Thrown out?"

"If the Lady of the house feels that you are a threat to her person or not suitable to be a member of staff in this household, she will have you thrown out."

"I see." Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment. "Your mistress seems to be kind hearted."

"Our mistress," Masaru corrected with a grin. "But yes, she is. You are the second 'slave' she has saved."

"Second?"

"Indeed. I was the first."

"I cannot believe you were ever a slave."

"It was many years ago now and I have aged considerably and Mistress Rin has grown up, but it is fortunate that she is still the same kind person she was when I first met her."

"You have known her a long time?"

"Since she was thirteen I believe. The slave master was about to give me a beating and leave me for dead since no one would buy me, but Mistress Rin happened to be passing by on the day she arrived in the town and bought me when she saw what was happening. Ever since that day, I have been her guardian and her butler."

"She has not always lived here?" Sesshoumaru asked as they walked towards the kitchen.

"She lived in the Capital for several years before moving here to live with her aunt. Her parents wanted sons and were disappointed with a daughter. Her aunt took her in as she had no choice and owed a debt to her sister, Mistress Rin's mother. Beyond that, all I know is that Lady Hiroko does not like Mistress Rin, although I do not understand why."

"It seems to be a complicated family," Sesshoumaru mused as they stopped at a door.

* * *

Rin sat stiffly at the lunch table across from her aunt, waiting for lunch to be served. She looked up when she heard the doors open and saw Shin opening both doors with a slightly annoyed expression on his face that was an almost perfect match for annoyed expression her aunt wore. Sometimes Rin found it hard to understand how the pair could stand each other's company when both became annoyed so easily by the actions of other people. Pushing the thoughts aside, she looked up to find that the cause of Shin's irritation was Masaru walking in with Sesshoumaru, both carrying large trays of food that were presumably for the two women seated at the table. Hiroko frowned at the sight of the silver haired man so smartly dressed and behaving with such fine manners, but kept her silence. Once the food was served, Shin stepped away to stand beside the door while Masaru and Sesshoumaru stood on the opposite side of the room as they waited for the women to finish eating.

"It seems your new pet is settling in well here," Hiroko commented, gesturing to Sesshoumaru who stood silently beside Masaru.

"He is not my pet," Rin replied quietly, ignoring the smirks on both her aunt and her butler's faces.

"I hope you have not forgotten our conversation from last night, Rin," her aunt said sternly, frowning at the younger woman.

"I have not and nor will I."

"Ah, I have news for you."

"Oh?" Rin paused and looked up at her aunt curiously.

"I received a letter from your parents," Hiroko said slowly, picking up a letter that sat beside her plate and waved it back and forth, smirking as her niece stiffened noticeably in her seat.

"That's not unusual, Aunt Hiroko," Rin replied, willing herself to relax as she turned back to her meal.

"No, that much is certainly true. However, what is unusual is that this particular letter concerns you."

"That is unusual."

Hiroko put the letter down on the table, letting her eyes roam from Rin's carefully blank expression to the slightly worried one of Masaru's face and then to the unreadable look on the newest member of staff who stood quietly nearby. She smirked again and leaned back in her chair as Shin moved forward to clear away her empty plate and serve her tea. Nodding her thanks to her butler, the older woman turned her attention back to her niece as she clasped her hands around her cup.

"Since I am so kind to you and you are my most beloved niece," Hiroko began, her lips curling into a cold smile as she watched Rin look up from her cup of tea, her expression still carefully blank. "I will tell you what was in that letter."

"Please do enlighten me," Rin said in a slightly bitter tone.

"Your parents wish you to return to the Capital as soon as possible."

"Is that so?"

"Indeed. It seems that they have a matter of the greatest urgency to discuss with you."

"I see."

Rin rose to her feet without another word and had just taken a step towards the door when Shin stepped into her path with a cold expression. Glancing over her shoulder to her aunt who still sat in her chair, Rin waited to see what the woman would do about her butler's behaviour. Hiroko merely smiled at Shin and remained silent. Understanding that there was still something to discuss, Rin returned to her seat and sat down with a sigh, looking across the table to her aunt who now had a smug look on her face. Sensing her niece's gaze, Hiroko leaned forward and picked up an envelope that sat beside the letter she had picked up earlier.

"Something else was delivered today," Hiroko said calmly, her lips twitching slightly as she tried to suppress her amusement at Rin's discomfort. "It was something really quite interesting actually, perhaps even more interesting than the letter from your parents."

"If it was not addressed to me, it is none of my business," Rin said quietly, a slightly impatient look crossing her face.

"While I would normally agree with you, this is an opportunity I cannot let slip by especially since it concerns you."

When she received no answer from the slightly confused woman sitting opposite her, Hiroko opened the envelope she held and pulled out a single small sheet of paper. Beckoning Shin towards her, she said something to him very quietly, but Rin was instantly wary when the man smirked. The tall man took the paper from his mistress and walked across the room, placing the piece of paper in front of Rin before returning to his position behind Hiroko's chair. There was silence in the room as Rin stared suspiciously at the paper in front of her and her aunt observed with an amused expression. Eventually, Hiroko made a gesture towards the paper.

"Read it, Rin. I'm sure you will agree that it is most interesting."

Masaru and Sesshoumaru stood silently on one side of the room, watching the events unfold. Every so often, Sesshoumaru would feel the older man shift uncomfortably beside him as though itching to open the door and whisk his mistress out of the room, but knowing that he could not do so. Both men could do nothing but watch as the older woman seemed to relish in her niece's discomfort as Rin reluctantly reached for the paper in front of her. There was complete silence as she read what was written neatly across the paper and Hiroko almost grinned as Rin's eyes widened and a look of horror crossed her face.

"It was such a surprise to hear such news! Could you not have told me yourself?" The older woman said, feigning hurt.

"You would have been the first to know if I had known about this," Rin muttered, putting the paper down with a frown.

"I trust that there will be no problems then when you leave for the Capital tomorrow?" Hiroko asked, her voice becoming cold again.

"There will not."

"Good. You are dismissed."

Silently, Rin got to her feet and left the room, not once looking back at the smug woman and her sinister butler. Glancing at each other, Masaru and Sesshoumaru hastily followed her and caught up to her just as she was stepping into her room. Rin turned to look at them as they walked in and frowned to herself before turning around and looking out the window.

"Masaru," she said sharply, taking the man by surprise.

"Yes, Mistress?"

"It seems that our plans have been disrupted somewhat. I will travel to the Capital tomorrow; it seems that there are some matters that need to be set right."

A sombre look crossed Masaru's face and he bowed slightly. "What would you have me do, Mistress?"

"What indeed," Rin mused, crossing her arms and turning to look thoughtfully at the men who stood behind her. "I cannot postpone the plan because of this matter; it would be unfair on you since you have waited so long for this."

"I do not mind waiting a little longer, Mistress," Masaru said quietly.

"I doubt that this matter will be easily resolved," she murmured before turning to look at Sesshoumaru who was startled by her sudden attention. "I'm sorry to say that you will be inconvenienced by this as well, although I'm sure between us, we will manage."

"The plan will do ahead then, Mistress?" Masaru asked.

"Indeed. Tomorrow we will make a detour on the way to the Capital. It matters not if I am not punctual in my arrival."

Masaru nodded and bowed once again before turning and leaving the pair alone. As the door clicked shut, Sesshoumaru turned a bewildered gaze to the woman who had not moved and had not turned her attention to him. Sensing his confusion, she beckoned him forward as she sat down and gestured for him to sit beside her.

"I apologise for the sudden confusion you must be in," she said in a genuinely apologetic tone. "Masaru was due to retire in a matter of weeks, but due to the confusion my family has caused, he will be leaving us sooner."

"Where will he go?" Sesshoumaru asked with a slight frown.

"I helped him to locate some members of his family in a village on the outskirts of the Capital so we will accompany him there tomorrow before going on to the city itself."

"What of me? I do not know enough to be a suitable butler for you."

Rin laughed softly. "Do not fret; I'm sure you will be fine. Masaru will give you some tips later today and we can discuss the rest on the journey tomorrow."

* * *

After a long discussion with Masaru the night before, Sesshoumaru woke up early the next morning to begin his duties as Rin's butler. It had irked him at first to think of him, a former aristocrat, becoming a servant to someone who while coming from a wealthy family, was still far below him in terms of rank. However, he soon pushed aside his animosity towards the idea and discovered that it was probably the best way to live his life now as he was no longer the Lord of the Land's son, but instead a man with no title who was no different from any of the other people around him. It would take him some time to become completely accustomed to the idea of being a servant now, but he did not doubt that as long as he was with Rin, he would have no problems adjusting to the change. The strange young woman who had rescued him from the slave master seemed to be kind and eager to make him feel at ease, but he could not even begin to imagine what she would want in return.

Sighing to himself, he did up the last button on his jacket and stepped out of the door. After a brief visit to the kitchen to pick up the breakfast tray, Sesshoumaru made his way back upstairs and found himself hesitating outside Rin's bedroom. Lifting his hand, he knocked once and entered when he heard her call him inside. Amber eyes widened when they landed on her already dressed figure sitting on the edge of her bed. She smiled as he walked in and stood up to sit at the table where she normally ate her breakfast. Her being awake and dressed came as a surprise as Sesshoumaru had been sure he would have to wake her up.

"We need to leave as soon as possible," Rin said quietly as she stirred her tea. "Will you brush my hair while I finish breakfast please?"

"As you wish," Sesshoumaru murmured, looking around for a brush.

Picking up the nearest one, he stood behind her and looked down at the slightly tangled dark hair that fell down her back and couldn't quite believe what he was doing. He knew that Rin was only asking him to do such a trivial task because they were short on time and had a long way to travel that day, but he cast his mind back to a time he had ever asked someone to brush his hair for him. The one maid who often attended to his appearance came to mind while he remembered his own butler being the one to help him dress, not that he needed the help. A blush almost coloured his cheeks as he realised he was very lucky to have a mistress who did not wish him to help her dress as that could prove to be an awkward experience.

"Are you alright?" Rin asked, turning in her seat and looking up at the tall man with a concerned expression.

"Yes, thank you. Why do you ask?"

"You seemed dazed just then."

"Just thinking."

Rin smiled and shook her head, making the shorter strands of hair bounce around her face before turning back to her meal. Hesitantly, Sesshoumaru stepped closer and lifted Rin's soft tresses with one hand before cautiously running the brush through it, waiting for her to hiss in pain, but she merely continued eating. Feeling slightly bolder by her apparent indifference to the way he brushed her hair, the task was completed in moments and Rin soon rose to her feet, smiling gratefully at him before tying it up into a neat bun at the nape of her neck and pulling on the hat he had seen a few days before. She turned around and watched quietly as Sesshoumaru cleared away the dishes from her morning's breakfast.

"I assume you are ready to leave?" she asked, tilting her head to one side as she spoke.

"At a moment's notice," Sesshoumaru agreed, not willing to let the word 'Mistress' pass his lips when speaking to her just yet.

"I must speak with my aunt before we leave. I will meet you at the carriage in a quarter of an hour."


	3. Chapter 3

The day had flown past and Sesshoumaru stared out the window as they travelled in relative silence. Masaru had been silent for the majority of the journey and the younger man could see a slightly melancholic look in his eyes that suggested he was not entirely pleased about the situation he found himself in. Rin sat opposite the two men and finding herself at a loss for words, she chose to remain silent when the ever present feeling of bursting into tears threatened to overwhelm her. It was all too soon it seemed when the carriage rolled to a stop outside a small house in an equally small village that Sesshoumaru had never seen before. Stepping out of the carriage, he looked around in amazement at his surroundings. He had been expecting an awful looking place when Rin had mentioned a village, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that it was actually a very pretty village in comparison to others he had seen while travelling with the slave master.

"You will write to me, won't you?" Rin asked Masaru, catching Sesshoumaru's attention.

"Of course, Mistress," Masaru replied with a smile.

"I am no longer your mistress. Please use my name when you write to me."

Rin didn't give the man a chance to reply and simply wrapped her arms around him, weeping into his shoulder before eventually composing herself and stepping away. After kissing both his blushing cheeks, she promised to write to him and fled back to the carriage. Masaru sighed and shook his head, knowing that she was most likely sitting in the corner of the carriage crying her eyes out. Turning to the younger man who stood nearby with a blank expression, he smiled. He walked towards Sesshoumaru who looked back without a change of expression and clapped him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture.

"I would have preferred to stay and make sure she doesn't do anything rash while in her parents' company," Masaru said softly, looking at the carriage with a slight frown. "But as that is not possible, I trust that you will keep her out of trouble in my place."

"She doesn't seem to be the troublesome sort," Sesshoumaru replied.

"Generally, she is not, but the presence of her parents causes her to not think her actions through."

"I see."

"I think you are more than capable of keeping her out of trouble and you will prove to be a very valuable ally for her."

"At least one of us has confidence in my abilities," Sesshoumaru remarked drily.

Masaru laughed, clapped him on the back once more before turning away and disappearing into the house nearby. Sighing to himself, Sesshoumaru walked back to the carriage and stepped inside, realising that Rin had indeed been crying. Not having the faintest idea how to deal with crying women, he stared at her for a moment before offering her the handkerchief that had sat neatly in his pocket. Rin gave him a tearful smile as she accepted it and dried her eyes.

"Thank you," she murmured. "I'm sorry to be so tearful."

"It is understandable," Sesshoumaru replied gruffly, looking out the window.

Giggling quietly at the silver haired man's obvious discomfort, Rin looked out the window at the passing countryside as they headed for the Capital. She frowned as she looked out the window and saw the silhouettes of the buildings in the distance growing closer and closer. Sighing softly, she closed her eyes and tried not to imagine the scene awaiting her at her parents' home. The last time she had visited them there had been endless arguments before she had eventually left them to their own devices when she decided that she much preferred her aunt's callous remarks and cold attitude. Leaning back against the seat, she murmured a prayer that the time she would spend in her parents' company this time would be considerably less hostile than the last.

"We will be arriving shortly," Rin said quietly after a moment of contemplation. "I believe I must warn you about my family."

"Oh?"

"Indeed. My parents think themselves very important and have a habit of looking down upon those they think less worthy."

"I see."

"Please do try to ignore the comments they make."

"I shall do my best."

* * *

Sesshoumaru gazed out the window as the carriage travelled through the city and marvelled at how different this city was to the one he had grown up in. The buildings in this city were large and beautifully designed gardens surrounded by large stone walls and wrought iron gates. Hearing a soft sigh as the carriage stopped outside a gate, he turned to see Rin frowning again as she looked out the window. Turning his gaze back out the window, he noticed that the gates had been opened and the carriage was rolling slowly down a cobbled lane towards a large house. Stepping out of the carriage when it stopped, he held out his hand to help Rin down and was vaguely surprised by how small her hand was when she put it in his. Smiling at him, she walked towards the house while he walked slightly behind her. A young woman with a sour expression greeted them at the door and led them inside. Sesshoumaru discreetly looked around him and noticed that while the house was smaller than his own childhood home had been, it was just as elaborately furnished.

"The master is waiting for you in the study," the young woman said in a cold voice.

"Thank you," Rin replied, nodding her thanks as she stepped into the study.

The large door was pushed open and Rin stepped inside with Sesshoumaru still following silently. The room they stepped into had a polished wooden floor and thick dark red drapes hung at the large windows behind the equally large desk. Behind said desk sat a middle aged man with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Sesshoumaru was slightly startled by the man's appearance and wondered how this man could be related to Rin when there seemed to be no resemblance between them at all. The looked up when the door was opened and his eyes narrowed when he recognised Rin standing in front of him. He seemed to sigh and then carelessly gestured to a seat nearby. Rin silently took a seat and Sesshoumaru stood behind her chair, looming over her diminutive figure like an over protective bodyguard.

"Your arrival was not as punctual as usual," the man said in a clipped tone, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.

"I had something to attend to on the way, Father," Rin replied, her voice cold as she addressed the man opposite her.

"A new butler?" he asked, noticing Sesshoumaru standing behind her chair. "Was this another slave you rescued from death?"

"It matters not if he was a slave. He is my butler and guardian now."

The older man sneered at the words and rose to his feet. "Your mother is waiting in the parlour. Follow me."

Rin rose to her feet and smiled briefly at Sesshoumaru when he fell into step beside her as they followed her father down a maze of corridors to a sunny parlour where three women sat at a table in front of the windows. They looked up when the small group entered and for a moment, no one spoke. One of the women put down her tea cup and looked directly at Rin before speaking.

"It has been a long time since your last visit, Rin. I trust you will act with a little more decorum this time," she said coldly.

"It has been a long time, Mother," Rin agreed, not bothering to reply to her statement.

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose as he looked at the woman more closely and it suddenly became obvious where Rin got her looks. The woman was taller than her daughter was, thin, and pale. Despite this, Sesshoumaru had to admit that the woman was a striking beauty, although he decided that the thin and pale look was not altogether healthy and that she would probably look a lot prettier if she were to gain a little weight. He was pulled from his thought when Rin sat down and he once again took his place behind her chair.

"You remember your brother's wives, Mizuki and Kaoru?" her mother said with a cold smile as she gestured to the two other women in the room.

"How could I forget when you sent such a lovely letter about both weddings?" Rin replied quietly.

"Putting that matter aside," her father interrupted. "We did not call you here to discuss your brothers. Perhaps Mizuki and Kaoru would like to retire to their rooms; I heard that Naoki and Shou will be returning from town shortly."

The subtle hint in that statement was not lost on anyone in the room and Sesshoumaru could only wonder how anyone could standing having such a man as their father or even as a father figure in their lives when he was so blatantly rude. However, the two women nodded and smiled happily as they got to their feet and made their way towards the door. It was then that Sesshoumaru noticed two women standing in the corner of the room with their heads bowed low. It was obvious that they were maids in the house, but he couldn't help but feel that there was something familiar about them. Rin's mother beckoned them forward to serve more tea and Sesshoumaru felt shock run through him as he saw their faces. The two women had looked familiar and now he knew why. They were his stepmother and his brother's wife. Blinking in surprise, he watched them gather up the used cutlery and begin serving the tea and he realised that his thoughts of never seeing his family again after the slave master sold them before him suddenly seemed very inaccurate, but of all the places he could have seen them; this was the most unlikely place. As they stepped away from the table, Rin noticed shock register on their faces as they saw Sesshoumaru and instantly knew that they somehow knew each other.

"I wonder, Mother, if I might ask a favour of you," Rin said suddenly, catching the attention of everyone in the room.

"You wish to ask a favour of me?" her mother queried, eyebrow rising in surprise. "What is it you wish to ask?"

Reaching out, Rin laid a hand on Sesshoumaru's arm and smiled at him before turning her gaze to her mother who was waiting to hear about the favour her daughter was asking for. Sesshoumaru looked down at her in surprise, tearing his gaze from his stepmother and sister in law as he did so.

"You as you may have noticed, I have a new butler," Rin said conversationally, patting Sesshoumaru's arm gently as she spoke. "I wonder if your maids might show him to the kitchens?"

"Is that all you ask?" her mother replied in a frosty tone before waving her hand at the two women. "Very well. Ladies, please show the young man to the kitchens and also to Rin's bedchambers."

Sesshoumaru looked down at Rin and saw her eyes twinkling as she suppressed a smile when she looked at him. His eyes widened as he realised what she had done. Not only was she kind and eager to see him at ease, but she was also very perceptive it seemed. Nodding his gratitude to her, he bowed low.

"Is there anything else you require, Mistress?" he asked, surprising Rin by referring to her as 'Mistress' for the first time.

"No, thank you. Make sure you remember your way around since these ladies are so kind as to give you a tour," she said with a vague smile. "I will remain here, but be sure to come to my rooms before dinner please."

Bowing once again, Sesshoumaru gave Rin a quick glance before following his stepmother out the door. As the door clicked shut, he noticed a tear run down her cheek as she beckoned him to follow as she hastily made her way through the maze of corridors to the gardens outside the kitchen where his sister in law waited patiently for them. When they were certain they were alone, both women launched themselves at him, tears streaming down their faces.

"How is it that you are here?" his stepmother, Izayoi asked, drying her eyes.

"I came with my mistress," Sesshoumaru replied, looking at her with a frown, realising that it seemed strange to see her not dressed in all her finery and without a crown on her head.

"The young lady?"

"Indeed."

"She treats you well?"

"Very well. What of you?"

"Our mistress is not the most talkative of people, but she treats us well despite her appearances."

"Good. Where are Father and Inuyasha?"

"They are here," his sister in law, Kagome said softly as she finally stepped back and let him go. "They are the master's servants."

"Is it not sad that we, former royal family of our kingdom, have been reduced to calling others 'master' and 'mistress'?" Izayoi asked bitterly.

"It is sad," Sesshoumaru agreed. "But we can do nothing about it now. We must be grateful that we were taken in by people who are kind to us."

"Have you told the young lady about your rank?" Kagome asked suddenly.

"I have not."

"Perhaps she could help you re-establish yourself in society," Izayoi said thoughtfully.

"Why would she do such a thing if there is no benefit for her?" Sesshoumaru asked, raising an eyebrow sceptically.

"She seems nice enough. Would it hurt to try? Do you wish to live out your life as a servant?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "I will decide later. I must get back before someone becomes suspicious."

* * *

"So what was it that you wished to discuss with me?" Rin asked her parents as soon as the door had closed behind Sesshoumaru. "If it is a matter of urgency then you should not dawdle in telling me."

"Ah yes," her mother said with a smirk. "Perhaps your father should tell you since he was the one who planned it all."

"We have summoned here for a special reason and I'm sorry to say that you will have little choice in this matter," her father said with a look that said he was not sorry in the slightest.

"Shall I guess this special reason?" Rin asked. "Or shall I tell you that I already know you are attempting to marry me off?"

"I see Hiroko could not help herself," her father said with a shrug. "No matter. It is easier this way. We have found several men who would be suitable, but we have yet to decide on which man you shall marry. You were summoned because you are to return to Hiroko's home and begin packing your belongings as you will be moving to your fiancée's home as soon as you are married."

"Would that not make him my husband?"

"Indeed."

"Is there nothing else I need to know?" Rin asked, preparing to leave.

"That is all we wished to discuss with you."  
"You called me all the way here just for that?"

"Would you have listened if we had written a letter?"

"No."

"Will you listen now?"

"I have no choice, do I?"

"You would have had a choice if you had found a suitor before now and unless someone of high standing appears and is willing to lower himself to the level of marrying you, then no, you have no choice."

"I will return to Aunt Hiroko's home tomorrow."

"We will write to you when your fiancée has been decided."


	4. Chapter 4

Sesshoumaru had been surprised when he had found Rin pacing her room when he finally located it. She had an agitated air about her that he had never seen before and it struck him as strange for her to not be calm as she normally was. He had been even more surprised to learn that they would be returning to the country the next day. Rin had not asked how he knew the women he had left with earlier and she had simply dismissed him after informing him that they would be leaving the next day. Now, after a night spent in the company of Izayoi and Kagome and after finally seeing his father and brother again, he found himself standing beside Rin as she bid farewell to her family. Glancing once more at his family, he stepped into the carriage, closed the door with a snap, and wondered if he would ever see them again. Sensing Rin was not in the best of moods, he remained quiet and watched the scenery go past until eventually, she decided to break the silence.

"It seems that life has changed for you recently, but I'm afraid it will change again soon," Rin said with a frown as she stared blankly out the window.

"Oh?"

"We will be moving to live in the city soon but I do not know whether you will be able to maintain your position as my butler."

"Why is that?"

Rin was silent for a long while, her frown becoming more intense as she clenched her hands on her lap. Sesshoumaru watched with vague interest as the usually calm woman openly displayed her anger over something that her parents had said to her. She had spoken little since the meeting she had had with her parents and it was beginning to worry him, which was slightly surprising since he rarely worried about anyone who was not directly related to him.

"My parents have decided that I am taking too long to find a husband and have taken the liberty of looking for one for me," Rin said bitterly. "When we return to Hiroko's home, we will begin packing my belongings away as I must be ready to move into my husband's home as soon as the decision is made."

A slight frown creased Sesshoumaru's brow as he thought over the situation. He had heard of such things happening and had known that he would face such a fate if he had taken too long to find a wife, but there was no longer a pressing need for him to find a wife. While he was glad he did not have to face that fate, he began to wonder what would happen to him if Rin did marry and her husband did not approve of a male butler.

"Is there no way to avoid the marriage?" he asked, looking at her curiously when she sighed.

"There is, but it is an option that is not available to me."

"Why?"

"I do not know any man whose rank is higher than mine and is willing to marry me."

Elegant silver eyebrows rose as he looked across the carriage to where the young woman sat, her expression a mixture of sadness and anger. Remembering that Izayoi and Kagome had thought Rin might be able to help him, Sesshoumaru suddenly realised that there was something he could do for her if she would help him, but he would need to find out how good her connections with other wealthy folk were.

* * *

The information he had gathered while on the journey back to Hiroko's house had been enough for him to form a plan, but his entire plan hinged on whether she would believe him or not if she told him of his past. Deciding that the best time to speak to her would be that night, he kept his thoughts to himself until he was walking back to her room with her after dinner. Rin sighed as she stepped into her bedroom and sat down heavily in front of her vanity as she began pulling pins from her hair and carelessly dropping them on the surface in front of her. Now accustomed to what he was supposed to do, Sesshoumaru picked up the brush that sat nearby and gently ran its bristles through the thick mass of her hair as she buried her face in her hands with another weary smile.

"Mistress," Sesshoumaru broke the silence after a while with the unfamiliar word.

"Hm?" Rin did not move but made a noise to indicate that she was listening.

"Your words earlier gave me food for thought."

"My words?" she asked, sitting up and turning around to look at him in confusion.

"In the carriage."

"Oh, those words."

Rin got to her feet and stretched before sitting down at the table by the windows and sipping the tea Sesshoumaru had brought her. She watched carefully as Sesshoumaru tidied the vanity she had left in a mess and then gestured for him to sit beside her. He sat down hesitantly, not entirely sure what he was going to say if she was to try to carry on the conversation.

"Food for thought?" Rin asked, putting her teacup down and looking at him intently.

"Do you really not wish to marry the man your parents will choose?"

"Of course not. I do not wish to have any other men in my life. I would be happy if I could live my life with just you and Masaru."

Sesshoumaru nodded, feeling emboldened. "In that case, I believe there is a way I can help you."

"Even if you know of a wealthy man who could get me out of this situation," Rin said with a slight frown. "I would not marry him. I do not wish to marry a man I do not know."

"I am not suggesting that you marry someone you don't know."

"Then what are you suggesting?"

"I am saying that if you help me, I will help you."

Rin's lips twitched slightly. "I see. How can you help me?"

"There is someone you know whose rank is higher than yours who is willing to marry you."

"Who is this man?" she asked, now frowning in confusion.

"Me."

The look of surprise that crossed her face was almost laughable but Sesshoumaru kept a straight face as he waited for her response. Rin stared at the man sitting opposite her not knowing how to respond to what she had just heard. Part of her wanted to believe his words, but another part of her rejected the words as soon as she heard them and she didn't know what to do.

"As you are currently incapable of speech, there is something I must explain," Sesshoumaru said seriously, hoping that she would believe him when she heard his story. "Will you listen to my story?"

"Yes," Rin squeaked, still stunned by what she had just heard.

"You have heard of the situation in the Western Lands, have you not?"

"Everyone has heard of it," Rin murmured, a slightly sad look crossing her face as she thought about it.

"Then my story is already shortened since you already know about the other clans within the country rebelling and taking the throne. Do you know what became of the royal family?"

"No, they are assumed dead."

"But they are not. All of them are very much alive."

"What does this have to do with you?" Rin asked slowly, frowning as she thought over his words.

"Those women I saw while you were visiting your parents were my stepmother and my sister in law. My father and brother are your father's butler's."

"Truly?"

"Truly. Most of the royal family of the Western Lands is currently working under your parents' roof although they do not realise it."

"Most of them? That means…"

"Indeed. It means that the last member of the royal family works for you."

Rin gasped in surprise, her eyes widening and the blood rushing from her face. "You are the Prince of the Western Lands?"

"Indeed."

Sesshoumaru watched Rin's expressions changing from surprise to confusion and finally to horror. He could not understand what had caused her to look so horrified, but imagined that he would find out if he was patient. Rin leaned back in her chair and lifted a hand to her face, rubbing her eyes as her mind ran over the events of the last few minutes. Sighing dramatically, she leaned forward and rested her head on her arms all the while shaking her head as though in disbelief. Eventually, she seemed to regain her composure and sat up, looking him straight in the eye with a serious expression.

"Very well, if I am to believe that you are the Prince of the Western Lands and you are willing to help me, what must I do in return?"

"Help me regain control of my kingdom," Sesshoumaru said simply as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Rin gaped at him. "Just how am I supposed to do that? Do you think those men will listen to me and give you back your kingdom if I walked into the palace and asked nicely? They would kill me!"

"I am not…"

"Although, in comparison to the life my family have planned for me, death would be most welcome," Rin mused, completely ignoring the now bemused and slightly shocked man beside her.

"I am not asking you to get yourself killed," Sesshoumaru said finally, still slightly shocked by hearing her words about death.

"Then what are you asking of me? I know little about politics and even less about how to evict unwelcome guests from palaces."

"If we were to gather enough men, we could turf the usurpers from the palace and my father can claim his rightful place as king."

"Turf them out?" Rin echoed, her voice rising as her mind repeated those words over and over again. "These are not recalcitrant adolescents we're talking about! I do not even know where to begin looking for manpower to lay siege to that place."

"Please, calm yourself," Sesshoumaru instructed, worried that someone might overhear their conversation. "No one must know my true identity. I doubt I would live much longer if someone supporting those usurpers discovered me."

Rin sighed softly and rubbed her forehead. "I have very little time until the name of my 'fiancée' is revealed and as much as I would rather accept your offer, it does not seem feasible."

"Should we not try before making such decisions?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"We should," Rin agreed. "But my connections are limited to the wealthiest merchant in the nearby village. I do not know how I can provide you with the help you seek."

There was a few minutes of silence as both of them thought over their situations. It was obvious that Rin was upset that she could not help him, but Sesshoumaru began to wonder if such a plan would truly work. If they had enough men or even a few skilled ones, he was sure the plan would work, but he didn't know this country well enough to know where to begin looking. He looked up when he saw Rin move from the corner of his eye.

"Tomorrow, we shall go to the town where we met," she said as she got to her feet and made her way over to her bed. "I have a plan. I do not know if it will work, but if it can help you at least a little bit, it will be well worth it."

"What is your plan?" Sesshoumaru asked curiously.

"You will discover that in due time. We will not have time for breakfast tomorrow, so I suggest you go and have your dinner and get a good night's rest."

* * *

For the third time in as many days, Sesshoumaru found himself sitting in a carriage with Rin. Fortunately, this journey was considerably shorter than the last two they had been on and they were soon entering the town. He glanced out the windows and recognised the square where he had been held as a slave and noticed that there was yet another slave trader there. He pitied the poor people who would have to sit in the hot sun awaiting their fates. The carriage came to a stop in front of a large inn that looked as though it would fall apart at any moment. Frowning, Sesshoumaru looked up at the building suspiciously before helping Rin out of the carriage. Smiling up at the tall man beside her, Rin led the way into the building and towards the innkeeper. The man accepted the letter Rin held out to him and there was silence for a moment before he looked up and nodded. Beaming at the older man, Rin took a large purse from her pocket and held it out to the man.

"What was that about?" Sesshoumaru asked as they stepped back into the carriage a few minutes later.

"A deposit," Rin replied simply before directing the driver to the town square. She turned to Sesshoumaru with a serious expression. "You stay with the slave master, I don't want him interfering."

The pair headed towards the slave master who bowed to Rin before she turned and walked away down the long line of slaves to the very end. Sesshoumaru stayed where he was and attempted to pull the slave master into conversation to divert attention from Rin. Meanwhile, the woman herself headed down the line of men before making her way back down to where the slave master stood. She pointed to several men in the line and pulled out a purse of money.

"All of the ones I indicated to," she said simply.

"Certainly, ma'am!" the slave master spluttered, bowing low before gesturing to his men to take the slaves towards the carriage.

Sesshoumaru could only look on in confusion as Rin dismissed the carriage driver, telling him to return an hour before sunset to the town square. The men she had bought looked equally bewildered as the carriage headed out of town and turned to look suspiciously at the petite woman and her intimidating butler. A short walk later found them sitting in the restaurant area of the inn they had visited before and Sesshoumaru merely remained quiet, completely at a loss for what the woman was planning. It certainly seemed underhanded if she would not tell him directly what it was. The men who had been rescued by Rin ate a hearty meal and gave all their attention to who they considered their new mistress when she rose to her feet after their meal.

"Gentlemen," Rin said with a warm smile. "I hope you have enjoyed your meals." There were a few grunts of assent and some grins before Rin carried on. "There is a favour I must ask of you. Consider it repayment for my saving you."

"What's yer favour missy?" a tall man at the back shouted gruffly.

"I am trying to gather enough men to go to the Western Lands," she said, noticing the surprised look on Sesshoumaru's face before it was hidden.

"Why'd we want to go there?" the same man asked with a frown. "Most of us just come from there."

"My husband was a soldier in the Imperial Army and he sent me here to be safe," Rin said sadly as tears welled in her eyes. "I have not heard from him in a long time, I would want to know he is alive."

There was silence in the room as all its occupants stared at Rin in surprise. Several men shifted uncomfortably in their seats while Sesshoumaru realised what her idea was and fished the handkerchief from his pocket, offering it to her. Taking it from him, Rin dabbed her eyes with it before taking a deep breath and looking back at the men who now looked at her with uncertainty and pity.

"I apologise," Rin sniffed, inwardly pleased that her little show was working on her audience and decided to push them a little further. "I would not want my child to grow up without its father. While I would appreciate your help, I cannot ask you to risk your lives for me."

Turning away from the crowd, Rin grinned at Sesshoumaru who was trying very hard to keep his expression neutral as his amber gaze surveyed the muttering crowd before him. The sound of chair screeching against the wooden floor and someone calling to her made her turn around.

"We'll go for yer, missy!" the tall man from before shouted as others nodded their agreement.

"Really?" Rin asked, dabbing her eyes again as she searched their faces hopefully.

"You rescued us, lass!" a shorter man on the other side of the room yelled. "We'll bring the boy back!"

After a display of tearful gratitude and the promise that they could use the inn until the time came to leave for the Western Lands, Rin finally bid the happy men farewell and made her way to the waiting carriage with Sesshoumaru at her side. They sat in silence for the duration of the journey back to the house and Sesshoumaru could only wonder how she could have such good acting skills and where the idea had come from. After a brief conversation informing her aunt that she would not be joining her for dinner, Rin finally reached her bedroom and sank down onto her bed with a sigh. Sesshoumaru meanwhile stood uncertainly by the door until she gestured towards a chair.

"You really shouldn't wait for me to tell you to sit down," Rin said as she sat up and looked at him with a smile.

"This is your room."

"That doesn't matter. How many more men do you think you'll need?" she asked, changing the subject swiftly.

"Perhaps ten more, but I'm sure I could find those myself."

Rin nodded absently as she looked through the few letters that had been delivered to her room that morning after she and Sesshoumaru had left for the town. Sighing, she put the others aside as she opened a letter from her parents, dreading what news would be inside it. Her eyes closed briefly, as she took in the news and looked across the room to the silver haired man who was gazing out the window with a thoughtful look.

"You'll be leaving soon then?" she asked, unable to keep a little disappointment from her voice.

"Tomorrow or the day after," Sesshoumaru replied, turning his attention back to her and frowning at the sadness in her voice.

"I see. It's probably for the best."

"The sooner I leave, the sooner I can come back and help you."

A smile pulled her lips before disappearing as quickly as it came. "It is kind of you to wish to help me, but it is too late."

"Too late?" Sesshoumaru asked, sitting up in his seat and looking at her intently.

"By the time you return, should you choose to, I will be married," she said in a sad voice.

"Is there no way to postpone the marriage?" he asked, wondering when he came to care so much about this woman's happiness.

"Not unless I disappear for a time."

"Come with me then."

"I cannot go with you. I would slow you down and besides, I cannot fight so I cannot defend myself. I would only be a burden."

Frowning at her words, Sesshoumaru got to his feet and made his way across the room, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside her. Her eyes widened slightly as he did so, but she offered him a small, sad smile before looking away at the now discarded letter from her parents. As he looked at her, Sesshoumaru could not help but wonder why he cared so much about her happiness. Was it because she had been so kind to him? Or was it something more than that? Seeing a frown instead of her usual smile was strange and he couldn't help but wish that her smile would return, but he knew that with her parents meddling in her life, her smile would probably never return.

"You would not be a burden and I would protect you," Sesshoumaru said quietly, looking at her seriously.

"I… uh…" Rin could not find any words to reply with as a blush coloured her face.

"If you were to come with me, you would be my future wife, would you not? I could not possibly let any harm come to you."

"That is true, but are you certain that this is what you want?"

"I am certain."

Almost as though to prove his point, Sesshoumaru leaned towards her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Rin stiffened for a moment before relaxing against him, her head leaning against his shoulder as her hands clutched his jacket tightly. They sat in silence for a long while until Rin sat back and blushed again as Sesshoumaru brushed a stray strand of hair from her face.

"I know little of you, Rin Nakamura," Sesshoumaru said huskily as he pulled her toward him again. "But I know enough to know that if I were to have a wife, I would want her to be like you."

"Sesshoumaru…"

"I was sure that I would end up dead while I was with the slave master, but you saved me. I cannot thank you enough for the kindness you have shown me."

"Knowing you are alive and well is thanks enough," Rin murmured, giving in to the temptation to wrap her arms around his neck.


	5. Chapter 5

Rin blushed the next morning when Sesshoumaru appeared in her room to wake her up and hid her face in her pillow. The man himself merely tilted his head and looked at her with a blank expression before disappearing to fetch her breakfast. When the door clicked shut behind him, Rin sighed and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling as though it could provide her with a solution. She remembered being wrapped in his arms the night before and she remembered him saying that he would protect her, but she couldn't for the life of her remembered what else had happened. Sighing to herself, she made her way to the washroom and was just sinking into the hot water when she heard Sesshoumaru return and begin placing plates on the table by the window. After a hasty but thorough bath, she stepped out of the washroom and sat down at the table. Now familiar with routine, Sesshoumaru picked up a brush from her vanity and gently brushed the knots from her hair while she ate. A smirk pulled his lips as he remembered the number of times she had said that it was not necessary for him to brush her hair for her, but he decided that it would be quicker if he did and especially since he was more careful with her hair than she was.

"You know you don't have to do that," Rin sighed as she leaned back in her chair, tilting her head back slightly.

"I believe we have this discussion nearly every day," Sesshoumaru replied with a smirk as he looked down at her face.

"You're spoiling me," she said with a vague smile. "I should be brushing my own hair."

There was no reply to her words and Rin stiffened slightly when she felt long fingers run through her hair. Sesshoumaru was looking down at her intently and she felt a blush threaten to creep over her face but managed to quell it as she returned his gaze. After a moment, Sesshoumaru stepped away and started gathering up the remains of Rin's breakfast.

"Do you have any plans for today?" he asked, pausing at the door.

"None."

"We should begin preparations then."

Rin stared at him as he left and wondered what he meant. She was still sitting in the same place with a slightly bemused look on her face when Sesshoumaru returned a short while later. He sat down beside her and looked at her carefully, watching her eyes follow his movements. Eventually, Rin sighed and picked up her brush, getting to her feet and placing it back on the vanity as she sat down and began pinning her hair back into a neat style. Turning around, she put her hands on her hips and looked at him seriously.

"Preparations for what?"

"Leaving."

"Where are we going?" Rin asked, tilting her head to one side as she waited for the answer.

"To reclaim my home," Sesshoumaru replied with a smirk.

"I can't just walk out of here without my aunt questioning me!"

"Have your belongings sent to your parents' home and say you are making your way there. She need not know that we will change course just outside the town."

"What sort of preparations do I need to make?"

"Just some clothes, food we can get from the town."

The gravity of the situation she now found herself in suddenly descended upon her like a tonne of bricks and Rin stood rooted to the spot, trying very hard to find another way out of her predicament. She tried and failed several times to form a sentence, but eventually gave up trying and chose instead to sink down onto the chair in front of her vanity and rub her eyes. Sesshoumaru watched curiously until she sat down heavily and his eyes widened at the sudden dejected air that seemed to engulf her. As he was trying to decide whether or not to go to her and attempt to find out what was troubling her, Rin looked up and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"I don't know if I can do this," she said so quietly that it was almost a whisper. "Only a week ago I was a normal girl living with my bad tempered aunt and my two butlers and now… now I'm about to help the Lord of the Western Lands' son to regain control of his country and then become the Prince's wife. It's too much happening all at once."

Sighing to himself, Sesshoumaru got to his feet and crossed the room to where the young woman sat, tears coursing down her cheeks and her hands clutching her dress tightly. Kneeling in front of her, he took her hands in his and stared at them for a few moments, briefly marvelling at how small they were before focusing on the matter at hand. Rin managed a weak smile at his attempt at comforting her and clutched his hand.

"I understand that this is a lot to take in," Sesshoumaru murmured, his gaze still on their hands. "But I do not see another way of doing this. I doubt many others would be as believing as you and I do not know who else to turn to for help."

"I am scared," Rin admitted shyly as she looked away from his intense amber eyes. "I am scared of what I might see if I went with you. I'm scared of you not coming back and I'm scared that I might be the one who doesn't come back."

"You will come back, both of us will. Last night I said that I would protect you and I will do just that. You have nothing to fear."

"I will pack some clothes then," Rin said after a moment, wiping her damp eyes with a handkerchief and giving her companion a tearful smile.

The tiniest of smiles crossed Sesshoumaru's face before he hid it and rose to his feet, pulling Rin up beside him. She stared up at him with frightened eyes and he could not help himself when he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as though he could somehow chase away her fears. Stepping back, he brushed away the few tears that remained with his thumb and then left her to pack her clothes.

* * *

Later that day, Rin sat in the carriage beside Sesshoumaru as it made its way towards the town and she watched the house growing smaller until it had disappeared. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she wondered if she would ever see the house again. Sesshoumaru said nothing but merely took her hand in his and squeezed it gently, deciding that it was probably better not to say anything. They arrived at the town and made their way towards the inn where Rin had housed the men who had agreed to help Sesshoumaru's cause. Rin's hand froze as it reached for the door handle when she heard the shouting and loud laughter coming from within and gathered her courage before pushing the door open. As she and Sesshoumaru stepped into the room, silence descended upon the room and loud, boisterous men stared at the pair for a moment in surprise before the laughter and joviality returned.

"We leavin' soon?" one man asked as Rin passed his table.  
"Tomorrow actually," Rin replied with a smile.

"Really?" another man called.

"I came here to ask you to be ready by tomorrow. We leave after breakfast," Rin said in a voice that was more confident than she felt.

No one had protested to leaving the next day and when the day dawned, Rin noticed that there seemed to be a solemn air about her new companions. Her carriage had been dismissed and a larger one had been purchased in its place so that the men could ride in it as well. She sat thoughtfully at the front of the carriage as she watched men climbing in and out of the carriage with various items clutched in their arms. Noticing that their clothes were mainly dusty and not of the finest quality, Rin looked down at her own clothing and realised that there was a distinct difference between them. Not only that, Sesshoumaru stood out like a sore thumb dressed in his smart black and white uniform. It would look suspicious if a finely dressed woman and man were travelling the countryside with a carriage full of men who still looked as though they had just been released from the slave master. Sighing, Rin stepped down from the carriage and walked over to where Sesshoumaru stood, talking with the innkeeper. He looked down at her when she tugged his sleeve and tilted his head slightly, silently asking what it was that she wanted.

"There's something I need to do," Rin said quietly. "I'll return shortly."

Before either man could protest, she was hurrying away down the street with her long pale blue skirts held up in one hand as she daintily stepped over puddles in the road. Sesshoumaru frowned and was about to go after her when he remembered that he had to supervise the men who were loading up the carriage. Sighing to himself, he realised that he was just going to have to trust Rin and hope that she did come back as it would not be convenient to have to go looking for her if she did not return. The innkeeper sighed and shook his head, a small smile on his lips as he watched Rin's figure disappear around a corner. Turning away, he began walking back to the inn and Sesshoumaru swore he could hear the man muttering something about headstrong women being troublesome.

Just as she had said, Rin returned half an hour later with two packages clutched in her arms and a smile on her face. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her as she came to a stop beside him and handed him one of the packages before disappearing into the inn. Unable to understand this woman, he placed the package on the front of the carriage and opened it carefully only to find some neatly folded clothes. Unfolding them, he realised that they were the type of clothes the common people wore and instantly berated himself for referring to them as common as he would become one of them if he could not reclaim his land. Shaking his head, a smirk tugged his lips as he realised that Rin had decided that a change of clothes was necessary. The sound of the front door to the inn opening and closing caused him to turn around and almost gasp at what he saw. Rin had stepped out of the inn and was securing the tie in her hair as she walked towards the carriage. The dress she wore was plain but pretty despite it not being as well made as most of her own clothes. The dark blue material was almost as dark as her hair, which she had untied and braided. In short, she didn't look anything like the wealthy lady that she was which Sesshoumaru supposed was the whole point to the change of clothes. Sensing his gaze, Rin looked up and smiled, walking over to him and twirling on the spot.

"What do you think?" she asked with a cheerful smile. "I don't stick out so much now, do I?"

"No, you do not," Sesshoumaru replied slowly. "Am I supposed to change as well?"

"That's the idea!" Rin said happily as she climbed back up onto the front of the carriage.

By the time Sesshoumaru had returned from changing his clothes, all the equipment and food had been packed away into the carriage and the men were climbing aboard while Rin still sat demurely at the front of the carriage. Sighing to himself, Sesshoumaru pulled himself up beside Rin and took the reigns, but couldn't help but listen to the conversations that the men who sat nearby struck up with Rin.

"You're only young, lass," one man commented with a smirk. "Why are you married?"

"I may not be as young as you think," Rin replied with a smile.

"'Course you are!" another man declared. "You're a pretty thing; your husband's a lucky man."

Rin blushed but said nothing to that comment while Sesshoumaru stiffened slightly as he listened to other men joining and each one declaring how pretty she was. Other men commenting on her beauty did not sit well with him for some reason and he could not understand why it irked him so much. There was a part of him that ignored the comments the others made but there was another part of him that wanted to pull her away from them and wrap his arms around her. It was this second part of him that seemed to be most dominant and he could not remember ever being possessive of anything and yet he found himself insanely possessive of the petite woman who sat beside him. Every time she laughed, she would lean back and brush against his arm gently before immersing herself once again in conversation and that little movement made Sesshoumaru suddenly want her back in his arms, as she had been the day before. He was not an affectionate man by any stretch of the imagination, but this woman was causing him to consider very uncharacteristic things and feel emotions that were alien to him.

"What's your husband like?" a man asked suddenly.

Pausing slightly as though thinking over the statement, Rin glanced at Sesshoumaru from the corner of her eye and smiled slightly when she realised that he too was waiting for her response. She smiled broadly and decided to take advantage of the situation she found herself in. It was only a matter of time before she was married and if it was not to one of them men her parents had chosen, it would be to the man who sat beside her. Secretly, she hoped it would be Sesshoumaru. Her smile grew as she remembered the previous day when he had held her close and she had to admit that she hoped that would happen again.

"He's tall," Rin said softly, inwardly grinning as she noticed Sesshoumaru's gaze shift to her for a moment. "He's protective of me, he spoils me when he really shouldn't and he's incredibly handsome."

"Ah, none of us have a chance then," the same man said with a teasing grin.

Rin smiled in response and watched quietly as the men began talking amongst themselves and soon everyone was laughing happily. Shaking her head, Rin turned around in her seat and looked at Sesshoumaru for a moment, blushing slightly when he looked down at her questioningly.

"What will we do tonight?" Rin asked curiously.

"Most people sleep at night," Sesshoumaru replied expressionlessly, keeping his gaze ahead.

"Hm, you're very funny," she replied sarcastically.

"We will not make it to the next town before dark so we will stop somewhere along the way. We have food and shelter if we should need it."

"You won't leave me alone with them, will you?" Rin whispered, gesturing to the men behind them with her thumb.

"Of course not," Sesshoumaru murmured, shaking his head at the very thought of it.

* * *

**AN:** Just thought I'd say that I know things in this chapter moved a bit quickly and I wasn't initially intending to make things move that fast, but it just worked out that way :P I was going to change it but I've sort of lost the inspiration for this story so it'll just have to stay as is for the moment. Once I have the whole story done, I may change this particular chapter if it does not fit in with the rest of the story. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it so far :)


	6. Chapter 6

The little group had been travelling for just over a week, avoiding the larger towns and choosing to pass through the villages when in need of supplies. Rin's idea had been to avoid the towns knowing that her family would no doubt already know of her disappearance and would soon be sending out parties to locate her. A petite dark haired woman in the company of a silver haired man would definitely be something that is not seen very often and would surely be remembered even in the busiest of towns and Rin had no desire to be returned to her family just yet. Fortunately for her, the men did not question the decision to go through the villages instead of towns for she worried that she would not be able to make a suitable excuse. Sesshoumaru had remained by her side for the entire journey and kept true to his word about leaving her alone in the company of the men much to Rin's relief, but he too shared the view that it would be best to avoid the towns.

Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan for too long. There would inevitably be a time when the little group would have to travel through a town and that time came just a few miles away from the border with the Western Lands. Sesshoumaru had paused and waited to see what Rin would say, but he knew there was no way to avoid this town without adding several days to their journey and when they were so close to their destination. Rin had agreed with his views and said that it would be a good idea for them to rest in one of the many inns in the town before moving on. By the middle of the afternoon, Sesshoumaru pulled the carriage to a stop in front of one of the inns in a less populated part of the town, hoping that their arrival would go unnoticed. Rin stepped down from the carriage and made her way into the inn to secure some rooms for the group.

"We will stay here for two nights," Rin said with a smile as she spoke to the group of men in the carriage. "Relax and enjoy yourselves, but please don't wonder too far."

There was a murmur of assent as the men ambled off in different directions, talking amicably with each other as they left Rin and Sesshoumaru alone in the doorway of the inn. Smiling slightly, Rin turned and walked into the inn and up to the room that had been reserved for her with Sesshoumaru in tow. She sank down onto the first proper bed she'd seen in days with a sigh of relief and Sesshoumaru couldn't help but smirk at her reaction.

"Shall I draw you a bath?" he asked, putting her bag down onto a chair beside the door.

"Please," Rin said gratefully, smiling as she sat up.

"I will wait here to ensure no one disturbs you," Sesshoumaru stated a short while later as he returned from the washroom.

Nodding and smiling happily, Rin disappeared into the washroom, content with the fact that Sesshoumaru was outside to look after her. When she emerged after a while, she was surprised to find Sesshoumaru that had fallen asleep in his chair. A smile crossed her face as she made her way across the room to where he sat and gently brushed his hair away from his face before stepping back and picking up her bag. Searching through it, she found a blanket that she had used while they had been travelling and covering the sleeping man with it. Rin turned around made her way to her bed, lay down with a soft sigh, closing her eyes and was asleep almost immediately.

* * *

The days spent in the town passed quickly and Rin sighed when she found herself sitting in the carriage once again it the group made their way back into the country and ever closer to their destination. They had been travelling for little more than two days when their peace was shattered as a black carriage rushed past them and disappeared in a cloud of dust only to reappear moments later. Sesshoumaru brought the carriage to a stop when he realised that the way was blocked by the new arrival and was instantly wary while Rin inched closer to him, instinctively sensing impending danger. The men in the back of the carriage got out and sauntered around to stand near Rin and Sesshoumaru as though silently offering their help should it be required. Rin was about to smile at them when the door of the black carriage opened and a man with dark hair stepped out and unfolded his tall, lean frame and making Rin gasp in surprise.

"Mistress Rin," the man said in a cold voice, inclining his head slightly.

"Shin! What are you doing here?" Rin asked in surprise.

"I have been sent for you, Mistress Rin," Shin replied. "My mistress wishes you to return. Your parents require your presence in the Capital. You know of what I speak."

"I'm sorry, Shin, but I will not return," she said defiantly, her eyes shining with determination.

"You have no choice, Mistress Rin. You will be returning with me."

"No, Shin."

"Forgive me," Shin said quietly, not sounding apologetic at all as he spoke.

Before any of the men could comprehend the situation, Shin raised his hand and gestured towards Rin. The men who had been sitting on the carriage rushed towards the group of men standing beside Rin while Shin himself headed directly for Sesshoumaru. Although Sesshoumaru was younger and had a height advantage, Shin was too quick for him and he found himself gasping for breathe after being punched in the stomach by the older man. Unfortunately, the short amount of time that it took Sesshoumaru to recover from the blow was enough for Shin to seize Rin and pull her across the short distance between the carriages. When Sesshoumaru looked up, his eyes landed on Rin being bundled into the black carriage. Staggering to his feet, he tried to cross the distance between them but found himself falling forwards into the dust as one of Shin's men roughly pushed him from behind as they made their way back to the carriage. The carriage and Rin were long gone by the time Sesshoumaru was able to get to his feet and for possibly the first time in his life, he allowed himself to dip into the extensive vocabulary of vulgar words and phrases he had picked up from his brother as he cursed Shin.

"What do we do?" one of the men asked, helping Sesshoumaru to his feet. "Should we go after them?"

Regaining his balance, Sesshoumaru frowned and looked at the dust that was settling on the road after being disturbed by the other carriage's abrupt departure. Wiping the dust from his face, he closed his eyes as he tried to calm himself and decide what the best course of action would be. Sighing to himself, he turned around to face the group of expectant men behind him with a slightly irritated expression.

"We go on," Sesshoumaru said expressionlessly.

"What?" the man who had helped him up asked incredulously. "She was the whole reason we were going to the Western Lands!"

"How are we supposed to know what to do once we get there?" another demanded.

"She was never the reason you were going there," Sesshoumaru said in a slightly impatient voice. "She made up a story to help me."

"So we're not going to find her husband?" the first man asked slowly, frowning as he spoke.

"In a sense we are," Sesshoumaru replied, wondering how to explain the situation to these men. "Perhaps it would be best to explain the whole situation."

"Aye, it would."

Heaving a sigh, Sesshoumaru dropped down onto the ground nearby and leaned against a tree, closing his eyes as he tried to think where he would begin with his story. When he and Rin had first spoken to these men, some of them had said that they were coming from the Western Lands which meant that they would either walk away and leave him to fight this battle alone or they would be eager to reclaim their home, but Sesshoumaru was more inclined to believe that they would leave him. Opening his eyes, he looked at the men who were now sitting and standing around him, waiting expectantly to hear what the usually silent man had to say.

"I'm sure you know of the current situation in the Western Lands so I will therefore not need to explain it. However, I must explain that the royal family is not dead as the rumours say. They are very much alive although they are now servants after being sold into slavery."

"The royal family were sold as slaves?" one man asked in surprise, eyes wide as he tried to come to terms with this news.

"Indeed. In fact, they work for Mistress Rin's family."

"The lass's family?" an older man mused with a frown. "Since you work for her, wouldn't that make you one of 'em?"

"Indeed. I am the eldest son."

"You willingly became the lass's butler?"

"I had little choice. She saved me from the slave master and I was under the impression that trying to reclaim the Lands for me alone would be pointless as I assumed my father, the King, was dead."

"Then you realised that he wasn't," the man pressed on as he began to understand. "What made you suddenly decide to go back?"

"It was Rin who gave me the idea. Truthfully, I am returning to reclaim the lands because I will not tolerate those bastards abusing the people and also because I am helping Rin."

"And how would leaving her in the hands of that man help her?"

"She would not have been able to accompany us into the Western Lands in the state it's currently in without being injured or possibly killed and while being in the company of her family is not the most ideal of situations, she will at least be safe there. However, it means that how much time we have to reclaim the lands is now very limited if I am to succeed in helping her."

"Why must you help her?"

Sesshoumaru frowned and was quiet for a moment as he thought over the situation again. Helping Rin was not at the top of his list of priorities at present, but he had still promised to aid her in her attempts to avoid the arranged marriage her parents were planning. He could only hope that he survived and would be able to return in time to fulfil his promise.

"Her parents are forcing her into marriage and the only way to avoid it is for someone of higher rank to agree to marry her. I agreed to marry her if she would help me reclaim the lands."

"You would spend the rest of your life with a woman you barely know just to regain control of the kingdom?" a man sitting in the carriage asked, raising his eyebrow sceptically. "Have you considered your own happiness in your deal with the lady?"

"Regaining control of the kingdom is paramount to my happiness. I cannot sit by idly and watch it be reduced to ruins. Rin probably saved me from a worse fate and I must return the favour."

Several of the men seemed slightly shocked by the last statement as they would have expected people of noble blood, especially princes, to be selfish and considering their own happiness before that of others, but this man was a surprise. He had essentially told them that it didn't matter if he was unhappy as long as others were happy. To sacrifice his own happiness for the sake of others was an unexpected thing for him to do and the men who looked at him couldn't help but feel a degree of respect for the man. One of the men looked around at his companions and they seemed to come to a silent agreement and he nodded, turning to look at Sesshoumaru.

"Very well, lad," he said gruffly. "The lass saved us from slavery as well so we will help you, but you had better stay alive to fulfil your side of the bargain you made with that lass, y'hear?"

* * *

Rin glared at the Shin as he smirked at her from his seat opposite her in the carriage. Mentally cursing the man, she turned as best she could in her seat to look out the window. On either side of her sat two tall men who ensured that she could not escape and she frowned as she realised her view out the window was obscured by one of the men.

"Where are you taking me?" she demanded, frowning as she looked at Shin.

"I believe I am to take you directly to the Capital lest you decide to disappear again."

Sighing in defeat, Rin glared at her captor once more before hanging her head and trying very hard not to think about what her fate would be. Rin discovered her fate a week later when she found herself being roughly pulled from the carriage and pushed towards the study where she knew her father would be waiting for her. She was surprised when she was pushed inside to find that not on her father sat inside, but also her mother as well as the two women who Sesshoumaru had said were his stepmother and sister in law and two other men who bore a striking resemblance to him. The two women covered their mouths with their hands as they stifled gasps at the way Rin was being handled while her parents both looked at her with anger evident in their eyes.

"Well done, Shin," her father said in a cold voice as he handed the man a small pouch of money. "Tell Hiroko that I am grateful for her assistance."

Shin bowed low and left the room with the other men who had accompanied him while Rin stood in the middle of the room, facing a panel of people with her hands bounds in front of her. She looked at her parents with thinly veiled contempt in her eyes as she waited for their vicious words.

"You have disappointed us, Rin," her father said quietly as he frowned at her and rose to his feet to walk around his desk. "Once again you have disappointed us."

"I wouldn't have thought that you would run away to escape your fate," her mother said coldly, eyeing her clothes with distaste.

"Did you think I would just do as you told me?" Rin spat, eyes narrowing at her parents.

"We are simply thinking of you," her mother countered, ignoring Rin's words. "We wish you to be happy."

"No, you're thinking of your own happiness."

"You have brought disgrace to the family name," her father interrupted irritably. "We found a suitable nobleman who agreed to marry you. Do you know how difficult it is to find a nobleman who is willing to stoop so low that he would marry the likes of you?"

"Of course the marriage can no longer go ahead because of your actions," her mother added. "We shall have to find something to do with you. You are no longer fit to carry this family's name."

"You will stay in the servant's quarters until we have come to a decision about what to do with you. I hope you realise that these ladies have had to share a room in order to see that you are housed in a room that befits you position in life," her father said with a frown as he waved towards the two women Sesshoumaru knew.

The two women bowed and led Rin away to their quarters as Rin walked slowly behind them, muttering to herself and cursing her parents. When they reached the room, one of the women turned and unbound Rin's hands much to her relief and she sighed as she rubbed her wrists.

"I am Izayoi and this is Kagome," the older of the two women said by way of introduction before frowning. "You know Sesshoumaru, do you not? Where is he?"

"I'm sure you already know I am Rin," came the reply before she too frowned. "I do not know where he is. Last time I saw him, we were just about to cross the border into the Western Lands."

"He's going back?" Kagome exclaimed. "Is he alone?"

"No, there were others."

"Where was he going?" Izayoi asked, worry evident in her voice.

"I don't know. He said he was going to regain control of the lands," Rin said and rubbed her eyes.

"He will surely perish!" Izayoi exclaimed in despair.

"He will not," a masculine voice from the doorway said quietly.

The trio of women turned around to find the two men who had been in the study earlier standing in the doorway and once again, Rin was struck but how much of a resemblance they bore to Sesshoumaru. Realising that they must be his father and brother, she merely nodded in their direction before sitting down on the edge of the bed and burying her face in her hands.

"I am Inutaisho, Sesshoumaru's father and this is his brother, Inuyasha," the older man greeted her, giving her a pitiful look as she buried her face in her hands. "Sesshoumaru will be fine. He knows how to look after himself."

Sighing, Rin looked up and could only hope that what they said was true. She knew that the fate she faced was most likely going to be unpleasant, but death would be far worse and a part of her knew that she would be heartbroken if she were to hear news of Sesshoumaru's death.


	7. Chapter 7

The group of men had travelled quickly after Rin had been taken from them and they were soon well into the Western Lands and approaching the first large town which was not far from the main city. They stopped in the town for little more than half a day, abandoning the carriage in favour of horses, bought weapons they would require before leaving once again, and riding through the night in hopes of reaching their destination as quickly as possible. Sesshoumaru was not one to usually care much about others who had no direct link to him, but for some reason, he could not shake the uneasy feeling about Rin's safety no matter how hard he tried. He slept little, knowing that his dreams would become nightmares about as many awful things happening to her as his imagination could conjure up. When he allowed himself time to think of something other than the upcoming battle, he soon realised that life had become somewhat dull without Rin's smiles and laughter. It amazed him that she had had such an effect on him despite the fact that he had only been in her company for little over a month.

When they finally arrived at the main city, Sesshoumaru found that the streets were deserted instead of bustling with life and echoing with laughter as they had once been. The buildings were burnt, boarded up and in various states of disrepair and stood beside the paved streets like permanent reminders of the day the rebels had overthrown the king. As they slowly made their way towards the palace, the sound of their horses' hooves against the streets seemed to be the only noise to be heard until a large flock of crows took flight from a nearby tree, their calls echoing around the seemingly empty place in such a haunting fashion that it sent shivers down the spine of many of the men. Sesshoumaru couldn't describe how much it pained him to see the place he had called home in such a state and as the palace gates came into view, he vowed that he would restore the lands to the way they had once been.

"Stop!" an overweight man in shabby armour commanded in a bored voice as the group approached. "His Lordship will receive no guests."

"We are not guests," Sesshoumaru said in a dangerously low voice. "Step aside and let us pass."

"You will not enter these grounds," the man said, his tone of voice never changing.

"Then you leave us no choice."

Without a word, Sesshoumaru turned his horse to the side and continued forward, ignoring the man's protests, but lifting his hand to gesture towards him as he passed. One of the very last men to enter the gates drew his sword as he approached the man and ran him through with it before hurrying to catch up with the rest of the group. Sesshoumaru sighed to himself. He did not want to kill needlessly, but if he had no choice then he would do whatever it took to take back the kingdom. They dismounted and headed into the main hall, surprised to find that there were no guards near the doors. Cautiously, they made their way towards the throne room where loud voices could be heard and upon looking inside, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as they fell on the bodies that littered the floor. Signalling for the men to be quiet, they entered the room slowly and realise that the men were asleep having no doubt passed out from excessive drinking. Shaking his head, Sesshoumaru stepped over bodies as he headed towards the man he assumed to be the leader who was sitting on a chair the sat before the enormous windows at the back of the room. As soon as Sesshoumaru was about to pull out his sword, the man's eyes opened and his lips curled into an evil smirk.

"Ah, so you're the latest of the brave adventurers to come here to seek fame and riches," he said in a gravelly voice that made him sound very much like the villain he was.

"I seek no fame and I seek no riches," Sesshoumaru said quietly, drawing his sword from its scabbard as he spoke.

"Then what is it you seek?" the man asked, shifting his great weight in the chair. "Perhaps you seek to join my army?"

"I seek to reclaim what is mine."

"Oho, that is a brave thing to say, boy. Surely you cannot think a group of vagabond men and led by one overly confident child can overpower me?"

"You will die here today," Sesshoumaru deadpanned, completely ignoring the man's question.

"Will you be the one to kill me or the one to die with me, boy?" the man asked with a smirk as he pulled himself to his feet and clapped his hands once. "Normally, I would have you clapped in irons and sent to the dungeons with the rest of those foolhardy souls thinking themselves capable of taking the throne from me, but I think you can might put up more of a fight. This shall be interesting."

Sesshoumaru said nothing and merely stood ready to attack at a moment's notice as he watched the bulky man get to his feet with great effort. From the corner of his eye, he noted that there were several men lurking in the dark shadows at the sides of the room and briefly wondered how a room that had once been so bright and full of life could be reduced to a dark room stained with blood and littered with bodies of the drunk. Sighing to himself, he waited for the inevitable attack from all sides that had clearly been planned. The man before them dropped down into his seat and smirked before making an almost imperceptible gesture with his hand that sent a dozen men rushing towards the small group that stood in the centre of the room. Sesshoumaru easily overcame his opponents without sustaining injuries that were too serious, but some of his companions were less fortunate and eventually, the enemy soldiers retreated at the command of their leader.

"You are a fool boy," the man said with a laugh. "Your companions are not as strong as you think."

"You will die!" Sesshoumaru said loudly, turning away from his men to point the tip of his sword at the leader threateningly.

"You are stubborn it seems," came the response. "Very well, boy. I will take your challenge seriously. Shall we test your skills?"

Before Sesshoumaru could reply, the soldiers who had retreated reappeared in the blink of an eye and surrounded his companions. A frown creased his brow as he watched his companions being stripped of their weapons and having their hands bound before being pushed to the sides of the room. His attention was brought back to the front of the room when the leader struggled to his feet again.

"Well, boy? What say you? Will you pit your skills against my men or shall I have then kill you now?" the man asked with a grin.

"Very well, I accept your challenge," Sesshoumaru said quietly as he turned back to the leader. "What are your terms?"

"Fight your way past my men, if you succeed, you fight me."

"That's all?"

"That's all. However, if you fail, your men will die as well as you."

* * *

Rin stared out the window of the small room she had been locked into for the past week and sighed for the umpteenth time before lifting her hand to rub her aching head as she turned away from the bright sunlight that drifted through the window she sat beside. After glancing once more out the window, she got to her feet and moved back over to the small bed to lie down and stare at the ceiling. A day after being brought to her parents' home, Rin found herself in a carriage bound for the country and not one clue as to where she was going. When they had eventually arrived at their destination, Rin was faced with a convent where her parents had requested she stay until they could find a suitable punishment for her. Little did they know, being locked in a small room in a convent was punishment enough for her and Rin spent long hours staring out the window into the lush green gardens, wishing she could be out in the sun like everyone else.

She was pulled from her thought when the door to her room was opened and one of the sisters came into the room with her lunch. As was the norm, Rin would get up and begin her lunch while the woman who had brought it would sit patiently with her until she was done before taking the used cutlery back down to the kitchens. Occasionally, Rin would be able to converse with her mealtime companion if it was a woman she knew, but most tended to keep their silence, which often irked Rin. She was left to her own devices which usually meant that she sat in silence for the majority of the day. Fortunately for her, today was a day when a sister she knew was bringing her lunch which would allow her to talk to someone.

"Good afternoon, my lady," the woman said with a vague smile as she stepped into the room with a tray full of food.  
"Good afternoon, Mika," Rin replied, sitting up and making her way across to the table in the corner of the room.

"I've brought your lunch and I will sit with you while you eat."

"Thank you. I think my voice will surely disappear if I don't find someone to speak to."

"Surely it is not as bad as all that."

"No, I suppose not," Rin said with a sigh. "I suppose losing my voice would be no loss if my parents are still set on marrying me off."

"Do not speak so. I'm sure it would not be as bad as you seem to think," Mika said with a slight smile. "Marriage is a blessed union. I am certain you would warm to your situation in time."

"I doubt it. I do not wish to marry a man I don't know. If marriage truly is a blessed union, why does are arranged marriages allowed?"

"I cannot say, but I do have news for you."

"Oh? News I will like?"

"Perhaps, but I do not know."

Mika shifted on her seat and pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and looked at it carefully before looking up at the woman opposite her. Rin sighed to herself, knowing that she probably wouldn't like whatever it was that she was about to hear.

"It seems that your parents are asking that you remain here a while longer. The Reverend Mother refuses to keep you in this room any longer."

"I can go outside then?"

"Indeed, but the unfortunately you will not be allowed to wander about in your normal clothing. I have been asked to give you these."

Rin looked up from her cup of tea and watched with narrowed eyes as her companion pulled something darkly coloured out of a bag at her feet and laid it out neatly on the bed before returning to her seat. Curiosity getting the better of her, Rin got to her feet and walked over to her bed to inspect the item that sat upon it. Her eyes widened when she realised that it was a pile of three identical black dresses. Raising an eyebrow, she turned back to Mika and smirked slightly.

"A habit?" she asked with amusement in her voice.

"Well, I'm told that it would be more suitable for you to wear that than the dresses you have. You will be required to attend Mass with us and it would be more appropriate for you to dress the same way as the other sisters."

"Very well, it seems that I have little choice in the matter if I wish to leave this room."

* * *

While Rin was slowly dying of boredom and losing her voice because of the lack of conversation and Sesshoumaru was struggling to regain control of his kingdom, Rin parents, Yuudai and Noriko Nakamura, sat sedately in their morning room as they gazed out over the lush green garden while they drank their morning tea.

"What are we to do with that girl?" Yuudai asked, a frown creasing his brow as he thought of Rin.

"Don't think too much into it, dear," Noriko said quietly, sipping her tea. "She can cause little trouble at the convent and even if she somehow managed to cause trouble, I'm sure that the sisters there would be able to cure her of her trouble making habits."

"We can't just leave her there permanently! She needs to marry!"

"I don't see why you are making such an issue of this," Noriko said coldly, putting down her teacup. "You were not happy about having a daughter in the very beginning and now you're insisting that she be married."

"Regardless of whether I wanted a daughter or not, she is still my child and she needs to marry into nobility just as her brothers did."

Noriko was about to retort when the pair were interrupted by a knock at the door. Sighing, Yuudai called the person to enter and was surprised to see his butler, Inuyasha step into the room with a serious expression on his face.

"Yes, what is it? We were in the middle of an important discussion," Yuudai said in a bored tone as he looked at the silver haired man with disdain.

"I beg your pardon, Sir," Inuyasha said quietly as be bowed. "It seems that there is a disturbance at the gate. Someone wanting to see you rather urgently, but the guards are refusing them entry."

"Come with me to the gates. Noriko stay here, I will return shortly."

Yuudai left the room and made his way towards the front door with Inuyasha following behind him at a short distance. Within minutes, they were approaching the gates where a small crowd had gathered and a man's voice could be heard over the mumbling of the people nearby. The guard noticed the hush that fell over the crowd as the master of the house approached and turned to look at him, brow furrowed in irritation.

"What is going on here?" Yuudai asked, his voice betraying his irritation at the disruption.

"This man claims to come on behalf of the Prince of the Western Lands, sir!" the guard exclaimed as he pointed to a dark haired man sitting astride a dark horse.

"Let him in."

Sighing dramatically, Yuudai turned on his heel and headed back to the house after instructing Inuyasha to bring the man to the morning room. He sank down into his chair beside his wife and tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the man to appear. When he finally did, Yuudai scowled at the man.

"Well? What do you want?" he demanded, leaning forward slightly in his seat.

"I have been asked to act on behalf of the Prince," the man stated, clearly unafraid of the older man who was obviously trying to intimidate him.

"Could he not have come to me himself?"

"No, sir. He has just reclaimed the Western Lands and is unable to return immediately."

"What does this man want with me?"

"He asks that you release the newest servants in your house. Your butler's and her ladyship's maids."

"Why would I just let the slaves run free?" Noriko asked, abandoning all pretence of politeness.

"They are members of the royal family and you will be charged for holding them against their will if you do not release them."

"Ah, I see I have little choice then," Yuudai muttered before waving his hand dismissively and calling Inuyasha into the room. "Find your relatives and pack your belongings. You leave with this man as soon as possible."

There had been much excitement as the little family prepared for the journey back to their home. The excitement had not lessened even by the time they were well on their journey and only seemed to increase as they entered their homelands and saw their city coming into view after many days of travelling. The streets that had been empty when Sesshoumaru had arrived in the town were now bustling with movement as people began rebuilding their homes and putting their lives in order, but their greatest surprise was when they approached the castle and found Sesshoumaru waiting in the courtyard for them. He had led them back into their home which he had worked hard to restore before they returned and was pleased to see that his family approved of his efforts so far. None of them raised the subject of them being forced into slavery for the first day or so but eventually, it became hard to avoid.

"Sesshoumaru, dear," Izayoi said as they ate dinner on the second day of their return to the Western Lands.

"Yes?"

"What became of the woman you were with? Rin, I think her name was."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at the mention of her name. He had been so caught up in trying to restore the palace to its former glory before his family arrived and then trying to make them feel at ease once again that he had had little time to consider the woman who had been so kind to him. Until the moment Izayoi had mentioned her name, he had forgotten about her and now he was flooded with thoughts of what could've happened to her or what could be happening as he sat and stared into his empty wine glass.

"Don't tell me you had forgotten about her?" Kagome demanded with a frown.

"Unfortunately, I did."

"She helped you so much and you forget her so easily?" Inutaisho said with disapproval. "Your manners seem to have become lax."

"I do not know where she is," Sesshoumaru admitted, answering Izayoi's initial question. "I have not heard anything of her in over half a month."

"How do you intend to repay her?" the King asked, eyes twinkling mischievously in the candlelight.

"I made a promise with her, although I doubt it is one I can fulfil now."

"You promised to marry her, didn't you?" Inuyasha said with a smirk.

"How do you know that?" Sesshoumaru asked in surprise.

"You forget that we were working for her parents. We know everything they plotted, although I can't say that I know what eventually became of her."

"Indeed," Inutaisho agreed, his face grim as he stared down at the table. "She was a feisty one and put up a good fight when they brought her kicking and screaming to the house a short while ago."

"What happened then? Where is she now?" Sesshoumaru demanded impatiently.

"None of us know, dear," Izayoi said with a frown. "She stayed in the room next to ours for a night, but when we went to take her breakfast the next morning, she was gone."  
"I heard them mention a convent," Inuyasha said thoughtfully. "Although if she was sent to a convent, you will struggle to fulfil your promise, Sesh."

"Poor girl," Izayoi murmured quietly. "She does not deserve a life in a convent. She'd have made a fine mother and wife someday, I don't see why they had to force marriage upon her."

"You must find her, Sesshoumaru!" Kagome exclaimed. "Even if you don't end up marrying her, you must find her to repay her for her kindness."


	8. Chapter 8

The day after the conversation with his family, Sesshoumaru had mounted his horse and made his way back to the Capital where he suspected she would still be. He didn't understand why he suddenly felt a desperate need to find her, to see her and know that she was well when he had not thought of her since he had overthrown the man who had stolen the throne from his father. His father had suggested that maybe he had deliberately made himself busy so as not to worry too much about the girl's safety, but Sesshoumaru couldn't accept that idea. The emotions he was feeling were strange and it seemed that every time his mind wandered to Rin, the feelings would get stronger and his need to see her became more desperate.

Upon reaching the Capital, he had paused before the city's main gates and stared into the bustling streets vacantly for a moment as he wondered where he was supposed to start looking for a convent. There had to be more than one in a city of this size and he had very little knowledge of the location of anything other than Rin's parents' home which would be of no use as he doubted that they would willing divulge their daughter's whereabouts to her former butler. A few of the city guards seemed to recognise him and bowed respectfully as he passed, but most were completely unaware of the royal who wandered through their midst. Eventually, Sesshoumaru sighed and pulled his horse into the shade of large building on the side of the main street before dismounting. Deciding that his best option was to ask for assistance from someone, he headed down the street towards an elderly woman who stood in a shop doorway, watching people go past with a slight frown.

"Excuse me," Sesshoumaru said quietly as he caught her attention. "I wonder if you might be able to assist me?"

"Certainly, lad," the woman said with a smile. "What can I do for ye?"

"I'm looking for a convent in the city."

"Which one, dear? There are two although they go by different names."

"Might I trouble you for directions to both?"

When he had been given directions, Sesshoumaru had profusely thanked the woman and made his way towards the closest one, marvelling all the time about how easy it was seeming to be to locate Rin. After describing the woman he sought to a sister at the first convent, he found himself mounting his horse again and heading off in search of the other convent, praying that he would not to go scouring the countryside looking for the elusive convent where Rin was located.

Eventually, the large stone walls that surrounded the second convent came into view and Sesshoumaru sighed in relief as he dismounted and headed towards the gates. They were closed, but through the iron bars he could see several women wandering about. Fortunately, one woman who seemed to be younger than the others noticed his presence at the gate and made her way across to him. She bowed to him and smiled a greeting.

"Good day, sir. Is there something I can help you with?"

"I am searching for a woman," Sesshoumaru said bluntly, trying to catch a glimpse of the women's faces as they wandered across the small courtyard.

"Aye, it would seem that you have come to the right place then. There are many women here, but might you be a little more specific?" the woman said with a smile.

"Do you have anyone who has arrived recently?"

"Aye, we do, but I could not allow you to enter these grounds with the Reverend Mother's permission."

* * *

Rin sighed as she stepped out of the cool building and into the warm sunlight in the courtyard. She was glad to finally be out of the room she had been locked inside for so long, but she had quickly discovered that there was very little to do in the convent. When she wasn't required to attend Mass with the Reverend Mother and everyone else, Rin was usually found wandering through the passageways of the abbey aimlessly as she searched for something to occupy her time. Eventually, she had given up and decided to simply take her books out into the garden with her where she would spend the afternoon sitting in the shade of the trees with only the books she had reread several times to occupy herself.

Frowning to herself, she smoothed out the barely visible creases in her dress before wandering across the courtyard. She nodded to several people she knew and looked around her, hoping to find something interesting. Her gaze landed on her occasional companion, Mika, who was standing beside the gate and talking to someone on the other side. Rin watched as her friend opened the gate and stepped out slightly, leaving the gate open and Rin briefly wondered if she could get out the gate and escape her imprisonment at the abbey if she ran fast enough. Sighing to herself, she was about to turn away when she realised that the other person was a man and her eyebrows rose when she caught something about him looking for his fiancée. Unable to satisfy her curiosity, Rin changed her course and made her way towards the gate.

"Mika? Is something wrong?" she asked, frowning slightly at her friend's slightly flushed complexion.

"N-Not at all! I was just helping a passerby."

"Helping a passerby causes you to blush so much?" Rin queried, eyeing the other woman suspiciously.

"You need not concern yourself. I am fine."

"You may be fine, but I am not. I must find my fiancée and I have reason to believe she is in a convent," a man's deep voice interrupted the two women.

Mika turned around and opened her mouth as though she was going to say something, but Rin stood rooted to the spot, searching her mind for a reason why that voice should sound so familiar. Part of her prayed that it would be Sesshoumaru, but she doubted he would remember a promise made to someone as insignificant as herself. Mika moved as she spoke with the stranger and Rin looked up to watch what was rapidly turning into an argument. Her eyes widened as they landed on the man standing just outside the gate.

"Sesshoumaru?" she asked hesitantly, hardly able to believe what she saw.

"Rin?" Sesshoumaru stared at her in surprise as she took off her hat and let it fall to the floor beside her.

"You are his fiancée?!" Mika exclaimed, looking at Rin in surprise.

"I…"

"She is," Sesshoumaru stated firmly. "Why are you here?"

"My mother's idea," Rin said with a shrug and vague smile.

"You're coming with me."

"She can't!" Mika interrupted looking slightly saddened by her words. "The Reverend Mother would never allow her to leave without her parents' permission."

"They won't give their permission," Rin said with a frown.

"I can help you escape though," the other woman said with a smile.

"You'll get in trouble, won't you?"

"I'm always getting in trouble. Once more won't matter too much."

"How are you planning to do this?" Sesshoumaru asked, raising an eyebrow at the woman who stood beside Rin.

"There is a small wooden gate further down the street," Mika said, pointing to her left. "Go there at midnight tonight."

"Very well. Until midnight then."

Rin and Mika stood in silence as they watched Sesshoumaru mount his horse, nod to them and then disappear towards the city. Sighing softly, Mika closed the gate and led Rin back into the abbey.

"You are very lucky to have such a fiancée," Mika said with a wistful look.

"I'm glad he is alive," Rin murmured as she sat down on her bed and watched as her friend closed the door.

"Who is he?"

"The Prince of the Western Lands."

"He's not only handsome but royalty as well?! That's incredible. You're very lucky indeed."

"What is your plan then, Mika?" Rin asked, pushing aside her thoughts of Sesshoumaru to try and focus on her escape.

"The lights are switched off at midnight every night. I am in charge of the dormitory we live in so it is my duty to ensure everything in this surrounding area is secure before I go to bed."

"What does this have to do with your plan?"

"Simple. We have three hours until Mass and then an hour after that until dinner. In that time, I want to you pack a change of clothes into a small bag. I will hide your belongings in my room until you come back to claim them. When I am making my rounds after the lights have been turned off, I will come for you and take you to the gate I spoke of earlier. Your prince will be waiting for you there and you can escape."

"Will it really be that simple?"

"It should be. I see no added complications."

"Thank you Mika!"

* * *

When she returned to her room after dinner, Rin paced the room anxiously as she thought over everything that could go wrong with the plan her friend had created. She wanted desperately to believe that it would work, but a part of her knew that there was a high risk of her being caught as she made her escape. The small bag she had packed a change of clothes into sat beside her door and her jacket sat on the end of her bed, but Rin couldn't bring herself to relax as she watched the hands of the clock on the nearby wall. She wanted nothing more than to escape, but she wondered what fate was waiting for her on the outside of these walls. It was entirely possible that Sesshoumaru was simply calling her his fiancée as a way of getting her out of her situation and would simply abandon her once they were far enough away from her meddling parents, but she wouldn't help but cling to the hope that he would not leave her alone.

Eventually, Rin heard the clock strike midnight and the lights in her room went out just as Mika had predicted. Rising to her feet, she pulled on her jacket and was just finishing the buttons on it when Mika came through the door. Picking up Rin's bag, she gestured for her to follow and led her quietly down the staircase. The pair paused briefly before crossing the courtyard and heading down a dirt path just behind the buildings. Rin almost gasped when she saw the little wooden gate her friend had spoken about and Mika glanced over her shoulder to give her a smile as she hurried down the path. The gate was small and low enough for any able bodied person to jump over, but it looked as though it hadn't been opened in a long time. Sesshoumaru heard their approach and stepped into view, nodding a greeting before glancing around to ensure that there was no one else present.

"It has rusted," Mika whispered, panic creeping into her voice as she fought with the lock on the gate. "I can't open it!"

"Come here, Rin," Sesshoumaru murmured, gesturing for her to come closer to the gate.

Obediently, Rin approached the gate and waited to see what he was planning. Her eyes widened when he took the small bag from her hands and secured it to the saddle on his horse before turning back to face her. She gasped when she felt large hands around her waist, lifting her off the ground and over the low gate to stand on the other side with a slightly shocked expression. Sesshoumaru turned back to Mika and nodded his head while Rin rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her friend despite the fact that a gate separated them.

"Thank you, Mika!" she whispered gratefully.

"Travel safely."

The pair watched as Mika waved once before hurrying back up the path and disappearing into the darkness. Rin sighed softly and looked at the tall man beside her, trying very hard to ignore the shiver of excitement that raced down her spine. He glanced down at her and his lips curved into the tiniest of smiles before he turned away to mount the horse. As she watched, Rin became very aware of the fact that this man was completely different to the Sesshoumaru she had known before. Her eyes widened when a hand appeared before her and she was pulled off her feet to sit in front of him on the horse.

"Where are we going?" Rin asked quietly, looking up into his face with curiosity shining in her eyes.

"As away from the city as possible."

True to his word, Sesshoumaru managed to get them out of the city that night without being seen by anyone and had picked up speed when they got out into the countryside. Rin didn't know how long they had travelled or how far they had gone, but she knew that she had fallen asleep at some point and had woken up to find herself tucked snugly into a bed. After a brief struggle with the blankets that were tightly wrapped around her, she managed to sit up and look around her. The room was obviously in an inn somewhere and was furnished with only the essentials. Much to her surprise, sitting in one of the chairs near the empty fireplace was Sesshoumaru and she could tell that he was asleep even though he faced away from her. She managed to extricate herself from the bed and pulled a blanket off the bottom of the bed as she crossed the room. After covering the sleeping man with the blanket to ward off the morning chill, Rin spotted the bag she had brought with her the night before sitting near the bed and decided that it would probably be a good idea to change her clothes.

Sesshoumaru looked up when he heard the washroom door close and glanced down at the blanket he had been covered with. Sighing to himself, he stood up and stretched as he looked around the room. Deciding to go and find some breakfast for himself and Rin, he left the room quietly. By the time he had returned, Rin sat on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair and gazing out the window. She looked up in surprise when she heard the door open but sighed in relief when she saw Sesshoumaru standing in the doorway.

"I did not mean to startle you," he apologised quietly as he sat beside her.

"It's alright," Rin said with a smile as she returned to brushing her hair.

"Allow me."

Rin looked at her companion in surprise when he took the brush from her hand and began brushing her hair gently. She stared at him, momentarily at a loss for words, before she finally seemed to regain her composure and lifted her hand to stop his movements.

"You should not be brushing my hair," she said quietly, looking up at him with wide eyes. "It is not appropriate for someone like you."

"Someone like me?" Sesshoumaru repeated, not sure what to make of her words. "I am the same person I was before."

"You are a Prince," Rin said quietly, looking out the window again. "You should not have to marry someone like me just because I helped you."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Sesshoumaru leaned forward and caught Rin's chin between his fingers, turning her round to face him. Her eyes widened when she saw the serious expression on his face, but she said nothing as she waited to see what would happen next. Letting go of her chin, Sesshoumaru leaned towards her and Rin found herself falling backwards until she was pinned to the bed, gazing up into her companion's intense amber eyes.

"What if I want to marry someone like you?" he muttered, leaning closer towards her until she could feel his warm breath on her face. "What if I don't want to marry a princess or some other noble?"

"Sesshoumaru…"

"What if the woman I want to marry is you? What will you do then?"


	9. Chapter 9

Rin stared up at the man who towered over her as she lay on the bed. Words failed her as she tried to comprehend the words he had just spoken. He wanted to marry her? It seemed to be totally unbelievable and she wondered if perhaps she was dreaming. Closing her eyes for a moment, she tried very hard to differentiate between dreams and reality and her mind was telling her that what she felt right now was definitely not a dream and very real indeed. When she opened her eyes, she found Sesshoumaru's amber gaze intent on her face as he waited for her response. Hearing that he, a Prince, wanted to marry her made her heart leap with joy, but she couldn't for the life of her manage to get her lips to form a response. Her brow knitted when she couldn't find the words to say how she felt at that moment, but her frown cleared moments later and a smile crossed her face. Sesshoumaru looked at her curiously as he watched her smile grow and just as he was about to question her, slender arms slipped up and wrapped around his neck and pulled him down towards her. Amber eyes widened in surprise as Rin buried her face in his shoulder and the tiniest of smiles pulled his lips as he understood that this was her response.

"We will resume our journey after you have eaten breakfast," Sesshoumaru murmured into her ear before sitting up. "Are you hungry?"

"Very," Rin said with a blush as she allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

After breakfast, Rin found herself being hoisted up to sit on the horse in front of Sesshoumaru once again and this time, she couldn't help but smile to herself as she leaned into him. Looking down and seeing a content smile on her face, Sesshoumaru acknowledged her gesture by pulling his long cloak around to shield her from the cold morning wind.

"Where are we going?" Rin asked, looking up at him.

"We are going to the palace," Sesshoumaru said quietly, glancing down at her briefly as he spoke.

"The palace?"

"Indeed. It shall be your home from now on."

"It's hard to believe that."

Sesshoumaru slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, pressing his lips gently against the crown of her head. "You will soon be my wife."

"That's even harder to believe."

* * *

As the pair travelled and gradually got closer and closer to the palace that Rin would soon call home, the pair got to know each other better and found that the idea of being married would not be as awkward as they had initially thought. When the last day of their journey dawned, Rin began to grow increasingly nervous as she saw the seeming enormous palace growing closer and closer, but she tried her hardest to quell the nerves. Sesshoumaru seemed to realise how nervous she was and had pulled aside before they arrived at the palace to attempt to reassure her. He had wrapped his arms around her and held her close, trying in vain to calm her nerves and although she smiled and tried to convince him that she was alright, he realised that no amount of comfort he gave her would be enough to set her at ease.

"Sesshoumaru! You've returned!" Izayoi exclaimed as she rushed out of the palace and towards her stepson as he helped Rin down from the horse.

Rin turned around and immediately recognised Izayoi, but before she could give much thought to the situation she found herself in, the older woman had pulled her into a tight embrace that left her struggling for breath. Sesshoumaru looked up when he heard footsteps and saw his father coming down the steps towards them with Kagome and Inuyasha in tow. Inutaisho smiled at his son but placed his hands on his wife's shoulders and pulled her away from the younger woman whose face had turned slightly red and her chest heaving as she got her breath back.

"I believe the young lady might have been near death if you had held her any longer," Inutaisho said, looking at his wife with a teasing grin. "I apologise. Izayoi tends to be overly emotional at times and she has been eagerly awaiting your arrival, Lady Rin."

"P-Please don't concern yourself!" Rin exclaimed, waving her hands in front of her hastily and her breath still coming in short gasps. "It's alright."

"In any case, welcome to the family. I'm glad to have another daughter!" Inutaisho said with a grin as he wrapped his arms around her before guiding her into the palace.

A short while later, Rin was sitting in the morning room beside an enormous fire with Sesshoumaru by her side and she couldn't help but sigh in content. It seemed that a room had been prepared for her and Izayoi and Kagome had ensured that she had a new wardrobe of clothes waiting for her when she arrived. A blush crossed her face when she had been informed that the room she was staying in until the wedding was beside Sesshoumaru's and the wink Inuyasha had given her made her blush all the more as she understood what he was trying to imply.

"We should begin planning the wedding as soon as possible," Izayoi said with a smile as she looked across the room at Rin.

"It shouldn't take too much planning" Kagome said thoughtfully. "It'll be the standard sort of thing, won't it?"

"Oh yes, of course," Izayoi agreed. "The Hall is nearly back to its former glory and once it is, we can decorate it with some flowers and invite the guests."

"I doubt your parents will want to attend, will they?" Inutaisho asked Rin who was amazed by how easy the two women made the wedding plans sound.

"Uh, no. Probably not since they most likely still think I'm at the convent," she replied with a slight smile. "They would most likely cause you trouble if they did attend."

"Then you must be married before they discover your location!" Inutaisho said with a grin. "They cannot take you from here against your will if you are a member of this family."

The conversation lasted long into the evening and eventually, Sesshoumaru decided that it was time to retire for the evening when he noticed that Rin had fallen asleep in her seat beside him. The women had readily agreed, pulling their husbands from the room and disappearing down the corridor and leaving Sesshoumaru alone in the now dimly lit morning room with a sleeping Rin as company. Rin was leaning against the side of the sofa she shared with Sesshoumaru and the soft light of the now dying fire illuminated part of her face. Marvelling at her beauty, Sesshoumaru couldn't help himself when he reached out to touch her soft skin but was surprised when she leaned into his touch and slowly slid down the back of the sofa until her head rested against his shoulder. Smiling to himself, he shifted his position and gently guided her down to lie with her head on his lap. Mumbling something incoherent, Rin rolled onto her back, her hair covering her face as she did so. When Sesshoumaru gently brushed the hair away from her face, he smirked when he saw a smile cross her face and wondered what it was that she could be dreaming of. Eventually, he decided that it was time to wake her and shook her shoulder slightly and was amused by the way her eyes flew open at the contact and looked around her wildly before settling on his face.

"What happened?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

"You fell asleep."

"Oh, is it late?"

"It's approaching midnight."

Rin had nodded sleepily and closed her eyes again, but they flew open moments later when Sesshoumaru scooped her up in his arms as he rose to his feet. He looked down at her with amusement shining in his eyes before leaving the room and heading for the part of the palace that was his own. Rin sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder as she watched the décor of the palace change as they entered what she assumed to be the part of the building that belonged solely to Sesshoumaru. The colourful carpets that had been underfoot in the rest of the building had been replaced with ones that were dark red and the portraits had hung before, now there hung incredible landscape paintings that made Rin wish she could meet the painters.

"This is your room," Sesshoumaru said quietly as he stepped into said room. "My own is next door. You will find me there if you need anything."

Walking towards the seemingly enormous bed near the doors to the balcony, Sesshoumaru gently laid the woman down before pausing to look at her carefully for a moment. Sensing his gaze, Rin turned her gaze away from the moon that seemed to hang just outside her window to the tall man who sat on the edge of her bed. Smiling slightly, she lifted a hair and gently touched his face for a moment and her eyes widened when a larger hand closed over her own. Unable to help himself, Sesshoumaru found himself leaning down towards the smiling woman and ran the fingers of his free hand through her hair. Neither of them made any attempt to stop the inevitable happening so it came as no surprise when their lips moments later in a chaste kiss that left them both craving more.

"I should go," Sesshoumaru murmured, not moving an inch as he gazed down at her plump lips. "You are far too tempting and I wish nothing more than to stay."

"I wish you could stay," Rin said softly, kissing his cheek gently.

Leaning towards her once more, Sesshoumaru took her lips with his own in a more passionate kiss than before but struggled not to let his hands wander over her curvaceous figure. With great difficulty, he pulled away and stood up, making his way over to the door before glancing back once more. He couldn't remember seeing a more beautiful sight than what lay before him now. Rin smiled at him as he nodded a goodbye and stepped out the door before he lost what little control he had on himself.

* * *

The days leading up to the wedding seemed to fly by and Sesshoumaru made sure that he kept a respectable distance between himself and his soon-to-be wife lest he completely lose his control. His mind kept drifting back to the evening when he had been so close to giving in to his desires and staying with her that night, but he refused to lose control and made sure that she was far away from him when there was no one else present. Rin seemed to understand and made sure to keep away, but she wanted nothing more than to be held in his strong arms again as she had been that night. She had been counting down the days until the wedding as she knew that on the day of the wedding, she would finally be able to be in his arms.

On the day of the wedding, she had not felt nervous and had merely been anxious to get the ceremony over and done with so that she might begin her life with her husband. Sesshoumaru seemed just as anxious as she, but he managed to hide it better than she did and it seemed that the only person who knew of his anxiety aside from Rin was his father. The ceremony itself had been simple but beautiful and just like Izayoi had said; the hall had been decorated with garlands of flowers and so many guests arrived that Rin eventually gave up trying to count them or remember which country they were from. It had been a joyous moment for all when the pair had been announced as husband and wife as it had long been thought that Sesshoumaru would never marry of his own free will, but everyone seemed to take an instant liking to the diminutive woman he had chosen to be his bride.

"Come with me," Sesshoumaru murmured into her ear quietly as he pulled her from the reception party and into a room nearby.

"What is it?" Rin asked in confusion as she looked up at her husband.

"I have a surprise for you."

"Oh?"

"Indeed."

Sesshoumaru gestured towards a figure that was standing in front of the large windows that overlooked the enormous palace gardens. Rin looked from the figure to Sesshoumaru and back again, not entirely sure what to make of the situation, but her eyes widened when the figure turned around to reveal their identity. She instantly recognised the elderly man and was soon running towards him, flinging her arms around his neck and hugging him close.

"Masaru! What are you doing here?" she asked, eyes wide with surprise and confusion.

"The situation has been explained to me," Masaru replied, patting her shoulder gently and pushing her towards her husband who stood nearby. "I was asked to come here today."

"Really?" Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru who merely nodded.

"Indeed. Although he neglects to tell you that he will be living here from now on."

"I shall be living here," Masaru agreed. "Although I have rejected the offer of living in the palace in favour of the town."

The two men looked at the petite woman in surprise when she suddenly started laughing. A broad smile crossed her face as she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and continued giggling into his shoulder. Masaru smiled and shrugged his shoulders before taking his leave, leaving the new couple alone. Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her and waited until the giggling had subsided before looking at her seriously.

"It's so like Masaru so do such a thing," she said by way of explanation. "I offered him the room you had used at my aunt's home, but he refused and chose the servant's quarters instead."

"I see."

"Shall we return to the celebrations before we are missed?"

"Not yet."

Rin tilted her head slightly and looked at him curiously, as she tried to come up with an idea about why he would not want to return to the celebrations just yet. The tiniest of smiles tugged Sesshoumaru's lips as he looked down into his wife's curious face. She gasped in surprise when he leaned forward and captured her lips without a moment's hesitation. After getting over her initial shock of the action, Rin reached up to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer as she smiled slightly. A discreet cough came from the doorway made Sesshoumaru sigh softly as he lifted his head and glanced over his shoulder, keeping Rin held close.

"Forgive my interruption," Inutaisho said with a smile and amusement shining in his eyes. "I was looking for you."

"What did you want, father?" Sesshoumaru asked, his voice clearly showing his irritation at the interruption.

"I was going to tell you that you are now free to leave the celebrations, but it seems that I didn't need to tell you." Turning on his heel, Inutaisho grinned at the pair over his shoulder and waved as he walked out the door. "Have a good night."

A blush coloured Rin's face as she stared at the door her father-in-law had just walked through and then buried her face in Sesshoumaru shirt as she tried to regain control of herself. Eventually, she looked up and was surprised to find Sesshoumaru smirking down at her. About to question him, a gasp left her lips instead of the words she had chosen as she was lifted off her feet and Sesshoumaru was heading out the door and down the corridors that had become so familiar to her over the past week. She had never been inside Sesshoumaru's bedroom before and her eyes widened as she looked around her as he stepped in and closed the door behind him and set her on her feet. The drapes that hung at the windows and the covers on the bed were all dark purple with a yellow trim and the colour was so unexpected that she found it hard to believe that this room belonged to Sesshoumaru.

"Rin."

Hearing her name, Rin turned around and saw Sesshoumaru sitting on the edge of his bed and beckoning her over. She hesitated for a moment before obeying and sitting beside him, waiting patiently to see what he had to say. He looked at her seriously for a moment before reaching out and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and gently running his fingers over the soft skin of her face. Rin smiled and leaned into his touch, closing her eyes for a moment before a movement caused her to open her eyes. Her eyes snapped open when she felt arms wrap around her and pull her against a warm, strong body.

"I was unsure at first," Sesshoumaru said quietly, not letting go of her as he spoke.

"Unsure of what?"

"This marriage. Initially I thought of it as a way to repay you for the kindness you showed me, but it is different now."

"Different?" Rin asked, trying to lean back to look at him but failing when his arms tightened around her.

"Indeed. Do you know how much it irritated me when you would spend your day talking to those men you bought from the slave master?"

"Why would it irritate you?"

"I didn't want to hear that any other man thought you were pretty. I didn't want to think that someone else might come and take you from me."

"I don't understand," Rin said softly, giving up her fruitless struggle to see his face.

"You are mine, Rin," Sesshoumaru said quietly, sitting back and taking her face in his hands. "I will be the one at your side for the rest of your life. I will be the one you turn to in times of need and I will be the one to hold you at night. All I ask in return…"

"In return," she interrupted, leaning towards him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "I will love you for the rest of your life."

Amber eyes widened slightly at the words, but he slipped his arms around her waist and held her close. Rin smiled to herself and sat back after a moment, a mischievous look crossed her face briefly before she masked it and leaned towards him to place a delicate kiss against his lips.

"I may be yours," she whispered between kisses. "But you are also mine."

* * *

And so it was that Rin married the Prince of the Western Lands and lived happily for the rest of her days. In time, she became Queen after Inutaisho decided that his eldest son should ascend the throne. Her parents eventually did discover that she had escaped the convent, but the Reverend Mother had refused to give them any description of whom she had escaped with. Mika was not punished for helping her friend to escape and was instead rewarded for going to such lengths to help her friend.

Rin never heard from her Aunt Hiroko again, although she had not expected that she would, but she eventually heard of a marriage between a wealthy, bad tempered noble and her butler who lived in the same region as her aunt's home was located. After looking into the matter, Rin discovered that it was indeed her aunt who had married and it came as no surprise to her to find that Hiroko married Shin. The pair were so alike that she wondered why it had taken them both so long to realise their feelings for each other.

Yuudai and Noriko tried their hardest to find Rin after her escape but soon gave up their search. They did not hear of their daughter's marriage until they read about the marriage in the broadsheets a short while after it had taken place. Predictably, they had tried to contact her and welcome her into the family now that she was married to royalty, but their offer to become family once again was firmly reject by both Rin and Sesshoumaru. Rin knew that the pair sought only the fame and wealth that would come with being related to royalty and she saw no reason why she should welcome a family that had long since rejected her when she had a new one that had welcomed her with open arms.

Rin's two elder brother, Naoki and Shou, had never had any problems with their sister and she had always wanted them to be a part of her life. Their wives had gladly accepted her as a sister and they frequently wrote to each other. When Rin's first niece had been born, she had insisted that they come to the palace so that she might become better acquainted with the child. Sesshoumaru had been wary of Rin's brothers but soon discovered that they were completely different from their father and had agreed that they were welcome to visit the palace at any time.

Eventually, Naoki and Shou became uncles when Sesshoumaru and Rin's first child was born. Sesshoumaru had been incredibly proud when he first held his son in his arms. The boy had silver hair like his father but he had the dark brown eyes of his mother and Rin couldn't help but think that the child was a perfect combination of them both. She knew that the family would grow in time and she knew that Sesshoumaru would be a very good father, she still could not believe how lucky she had been to unknowingly save the Prince of the Western Lands that day in the town square when she had passed the slave master. To this day she still didn't understand what had possessed her to approach him and then to take him into her home, but Rin was infinitely grateful to whatever had influenced her to do such a thing as the man she had saved had saved her in return. She could think of no better way to spend the rest of her life than with the man she loved and knowing that she was loved in return.

* * *

**AN****:** I didn't really intend to finish the story in this chapter, but it sort of worked out that way. I was going to add a bit about her parents, but after reading through it again, I decided that I preferred it this way. I know it's a bit of an abrupt ending and I hope you'll forgive that. Hopefully the ending wasn't too disappointing even if it was somewhat predictable :P Thank you to everyone for the reviews – they're greatly appreciated! I shall now endeavour to finish some of the other stories I've got going at the moment. The Newsreader will probably be the next one to work on, but I shall have to see how far I get with my ideas :P

Thank you again for all the reviews :)

xMxAx


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